President Donald Trump reviewed the Afghanistan peace negotiations with his top national security advisers amid talk of significant cuts in American forces as part of a near-final deal to end America’s longest war, now in its 18th year.
Trump has been a sceptic of the war, and all wars, and is said to be in a hurry to strike a deal and bring home American troops in time for his White House re-election bid in 2020. The US currently has 14,500 troops in Afghanistan and may cut it by half or more, in phases, in return for the Taliban renouncing all ties to terrorist groups and promising to not allow them safe havens in Afghanistan as part of a deal reportedly now in final stages.
“Discussions centered around our ongoing negotiations and eventual peace and reconciliation agreement with the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan,” White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley said. “The meeting went very well, and negotiations are proceeding.”
Vice President Mike Pence, secretary of state Mike Pompeo, secretary of defence Mark Esper, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Gen Joseph Dunford, national security advisor John Bolton and CIA chief Gina Haspel attended the meeting on Friday at Trump’s New Jersey golf club where he is on a working vacation. Pompeo said, “In continued close cooperation with the government of Afghanistan, we remain committed to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement, including a reduction in violence and a ceasefire, ensuring that Afghan soil is never again used to threaten the United States or her allies, and bringing Afghans together to work towards peace.”
{{/usCountry}}Vice President Mike Pence, secretary of state Mike Pompeo, secretary of defence Mark Esper, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Gen Joseph Dunford, national security advisor John Bolton and CIA chief Gina Haspel attended the meeting on Friday at Trump’s New Jersey golf club where he is on a working vacation. Pompeo said, “In continued close cooperation with the government of Afghanistan, we remain committed to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement, including a reduction in violence and a ceasefire, ensuring that Afghan soil is never again used to threaten the United States or her allies, and bringing Afghans together to work towards peace.”
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday, Afghan Taliban officials said the killing of the brother of their leader in a bomb attack would not derail talks with the US.
Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada was not in the mosque near the Pakistani city of Quetta when a bomb went off but his younger brother, Hafiz Ahmadullah, was leading Friday prayers and was among four people killed, several Taliban officials have said.
“If someone thinks martyring our leaders would stop us from our goal they’re living in a fool’s paradise,” a Taliban leader said over telephone from an undisclosed location.