U.S. Calls for Reduction in Taliban Violence

The Afghan peace negotiations need more progress before foreign forces withdraw from the country torn by decades-long war and violence. 

He said that progress toward peace in Afghanistan and an end to U.S. military mission there depends on a reduction in Taliban violence. He said, right now, “clearly the violence is too high.”

“I urge all parties to choose the path towards peace, and the violence must decrease now,” the Pentagon chief said. 

“We are mindful of the looming deadlines, but we want to do this methodically and deliberately,” Mr. Austin said. “But we’re focused on making sure that we make the right decisions, and we’ll go through this process deliberately.”

“In the meantime, current missions will continue and, of course, commanders have the right and the responsibility to defend themselves and their Afghan partners against attack,” he said.

Assad Majeed Khan, Pakistani envoy to U.S. told an online forum sponsored by the Stimson Center think tank that the United States should consult the Taliban on any Afghan pullout delay and should not unilaterally decide to do so, according to Reuters news agency. 

“To present this as a fait accompli, I think, will only create difficulty,” Mr. Khan cautioned.

It follows the NATO defense ministerial conference where alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO has made no decision on whether or when to pull out of Afghanistan. 

Under a peace deal the Taliban has signed with the Trump administration almost one year ago, the United States promised a phased withdrawal of troops, so that by May 1, 2021, all foreign troops would leave the south Asian country.

The Taliban in return made commitments to start peace talks with the Afghan government, end attacks on U.S. forces, and cut all ties to al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

President Joe Biden’s administration is reviewing the a February deal that is expected to determine whether it will meet the deadline to withdraw the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops from America’s longest war.

The chief of Pentagon, however, has said, “No matter what the outcome of our review, the United States will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan.”