Taliban Do Not Want Peace in Afghanistan: U.S.

Taliban terrorist attacks on civilians in Afghanistan indicate that Taliban militants do not want peace, but rather war, said U.S. deputy secretary, John Sullivan.

“Unfortunately, at this stage, everyone but the Taliban appears ready for peace. The Taliban’s reprehensible attacks targeting innocent civilians demonstrate that they are not ready to enter into good faith peace negotiations,” Sullivan said.

The U.S. deputy secretary Sullivan who has recently visited Kabul noted that pressures are ongoing for bringing the Taliban group to the negotiation table and emphasized on an Afghan led-peace process.

“Our policy is for continue to – for us to continue to put pressure on the Taliban – military, economic, political – to bring them to the negotiating table where the ultimate resolution will be through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process,” he said.

Sullivan stated that U.S. seriously called on Pakistan to end violence, take practical measures and cooperate with the Afghan government.

“We have made clear to the Pakistani Government our expectations for them to take action against terrorists that are in sanctuaries in Pakistan to reduce the pressure and the threat of violence in Afghanistan, and to contribute to a lasting and enduring peace in Afghanistan and the region,” he added.

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump has railed against “atrocities” in Afghanistan, ruling out talks with the Taliban after earlier indicating negotiations could be a way out of America’s longest war.

“I don’t think we are prepared to talk right now,” Mr. Trump said Monday at a luncheon organized by the United Nations Security Council, saying the group was “killing innocent people left and right… so we don’t want to talk with the Taliban. There may be a time but it may be a long time.”

While officially saying talks remained an option to peace, the Taliban warned that Mr. Trump’s rhetoric would most certainly result in more war and bloodshed.

By: M. Zack