WASHINGTON, Jan 23, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The Biden administration said Friday
it will review whether the Taliban is reducing violence in keeping with its
side of the deal in the Afghan peace accord.
President Joe Biden’s newly appointed national security advisor, Jake
Sullivan, spoke with his Afghan counterpart Hamdullah Mohib and “made clear
the United States’ intention to review” the deal, National Security Council
spokeswoman Emily Horne said.
Specifically, Washington wants to check that the Taliban is “living up to
its commitments to cut ties with terrorist groups, to reduce violence in
Afghanistan, and to engage in meaningful negotiations with the Afghan
government and other stakeholders,” she said.
“Sullivan underscored that the US will support the peace process with a
robust and regional diplomatic effort, which will aim to help the two sides
achieve a durable and just political settlement and permanent ceasefire,” she
said.
Sullivan also discussed “the United States’ support for protecting the
extraordinary gains made by Afghan women, girls and minority groups as part
of the peace process.”
On Tuesday, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told
his Senate confirmation hearing that “we want to end this so-called forever
war.”
In the accord signed in Doha, the United States said it would withdraw all
troops from Afghanistan by May 2021 and the Taliban pledged not to allow
extremists to operate from Afghanistan, although the group continued attacks
on government forces.