US says Doha talks with IEA were “candid and professional”

The United States said late Sunday that the talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Doha, Qatar, had been “candid and professional” and focused on security, terrorism and other key issues.

According to a statement issued by the US State Department spokesman Ned Price: “The US delegation focused on security and terrorism concerns and safe passage for US citizens, other foreign nationals, and our Afghan partners.”

He said the delegates also focused on human rights, including the meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society.

“The two sides also discussed the United States’ provision of robust humanitarian assistance, directly to the Afghan people. The discussions were candid and professional with the U.S. delegation reiterating that the Taliban (IEA) will be judged on its actions, not only its words,” he said.

Price said the two-day talks involved an “interagency delegation” from the United States and “senior Taliban (IEA) representatives.”

They were the first face-to-face talks between the two sides since the IEA seized control of Afghanistan in August following the withdrawal of Western troops.

The also said it will provide urgent humanitarian aid to a desperately poor Afghanistan on the brink of an economic disaster, but refused to give political recognition to the country’s new IEA rulers.

IEA political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told The Associated Press that Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, assured the US during the talks that the IEA is committed to seeing that Afghan soil is not used by extremists to launch attacks against other countries.

“We are able to tackle Daesh independently,” Shaheen said when asked whether the IEA would work with the US to contain the Islamic State (ISIS-K) affiliate.

Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who tracks militant groups, agreed the IEA does not need Washington’s help to hunt down and destroy Afghanistan’s Daesh.

The IEA “fought 20 years to eject the US, and the last thing it needs is the return of the US. It also doesn’t need US help,” said Roggio, who also produces the foundation’s Long War Journal.

“The Taliban (IEA) has to conduct the difficult and time-consuming task of rooting out ISKP (Daesh) cells and its limited infrastructure. It has all the knowledge and tools it needs to do it.”