WASHINGTON: The United States should consult the Taliban on any extension of a May 1 deadline for a full US troop pullout from Afghanistan and should not decide unilaterally, the Pakistani ambassador to the United States said on Friday.
Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan's comments come as the Biden administration conducts a review of a February 2020 deal with the Taliban that is expected to determine whether it will meet the deadline to withdraw the last US soldiers from America's longest war. US and European officials say the Taliban have not fulfilled commitments they made in the accord and that conditions are not conducive to advancing the peace process amid a surge in violence blamed on the insurgents. The Taliban, seeking to reimpose Islamic rule in Afghanistan after their 2001 ouster at the hands of US-led troops, deny the charges and indicate they will resume attacks on US and allied troops unless the May deadline is kept.
Comments
Comments are closed.