US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with negotiators from the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha, amidst signs of progress in their stalled talks and an uptick in violence that threatens to jeopardise the peace plan in the war-torn country.
This was Pompeo’s first meeting with the Taliban and the Afghan government representatives after the US' recent announcement that it will reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq to 2,500 in each country by January 15 next year. The US currently has a little over 4,500 troops stationed in Afghanistan.
"Met with both Taliban and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s negotiating teams in Doha. I commend both sides for continuing to negotiate and for the progress they have made. I encourage expedited discussions on a political roadmap and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire," Pompeo said in tweet on Saturday.
Pompeo met with Taliban political deputy and head of the political office Mullah Beradar and with other members of the Taliban negotiating team, US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Cale Brown said. In his meeting with the Taliban, Pompeo called for a significant reduction in violence and encouraged expedited discussions on a political roadmap and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, officials said.
Pompeo also meet with Qatari foreign minister Al Thani in Doha and discussed bilateral and regional issues with him. "We appreciate Qatar’s ongoing support as a host to the Afghan peace negotiations. A united Gulf remains crucial for countering Iran’s malign influence in the region," Pompeo said in another tweet.
The US signed an agreement with the Taliban in February to promote a negotiated end to the protracted conflict. Afghan government and Taliban negotiators have been meeting in Doha on a regular basis to try to broker a peace deal but are yet to arrive at a major breakthrough.
Meanwhile, violence in Afghanistan has spiked in recent months. Pompeo’s visit came in the wake of a rocket attack which struck densely populated areas of Kabul, killing at least eight people in the latest outbreak of violence in the Afghan capital.
