The U.S. seems positive about the recommencement of halted peace talks between combatant parties in Afghanistan, even as fighting worsens because of the withdrawal of the United States and NATO forces from the country. Moreover, a senior American official said on Tuesday during a contextual briefing in Kabul that the diplomatic efforts of Washington are ongoing for the peace process between the Taliban and Afghan government and bring them back on track.
The State Department diplomat, who requested anonymity, says that they are not quitting the peace process. Additionally, they are trying to pressure the Taliban to come to the talk table seriously. They also showed their hope that it happens. The official spoke one day after Zalmay Khalilzad, American special envoy for Afghan settlement, visited Afghanistan, where he shared the up-to-date particulars of his peace offensive with the leadership of Afghanistan; Khalilzad visited the Afghan capital, Kabul from Doha, Qatar, where he held dialogs with Taliban delegates based there.
TALIBAN OFFENSIVE: From the moment U.S. troops started withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban went on the offensive, @charliecbs reports.
The Afghan military tells CBS News that coordinated Taliban offensives are ongoing in 20 provinces across the country. pic.twitter.com/gqRBAsAFV2
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) May 4, 2021
Taliban Fresh Battlefield Attacks across Afghan Provinces and Peace Diplomacy
The peace diplomacy comes as the Taliban leaders initiated the latest battleground attacks across different Afghan provinces in response to the United States missing a 1st May troop removal deadline in line with a deal Washington negotiated with the Taliban one year ago. The insurgents’ attacks overrun the country in some parts, provoke a strong response from security forces of Afghanistan, with two sides claimed to impose heavy causalities on the other.
The fighting between both sides became comparatively more severe and widespread in Afghanistan’s largest province, the southern Helmand province. It is also a major illegal opium-producing area. Additionally, the Taliban contest and control most of Helmand, whereas Lashkar Gah, the capital of the province, mainly held by Kabul. According to a statement from the Afghan military, its airstrikes and ground strikes in Helmand killed over a hundred Taliban terrorists in the last twenty-four hours., together with almost twenty-two al-Qaida militants.
Source: Web
A spokesperson of the Taliban rapidly declined the claims as propaganda and rejected the presence of foreign fighters in rebellious ranks. It was unclear whether American airpower called in to help the forces of Afghanistan in the recent fights against the Taliban. Furthermore, the State Department official warned the Taliban forces to stop trying to seize power with the help of military means and reiterated the United States call for them to reduce violence. He said that while foreign and American forces are still in Afghanistan, they will continue to defend and support Afghan security and defense forces when they come under attack.
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