US Will Support Afghan Forces after Any Deal with Taliban: Khalilzad

The U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan’s Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday rejected reports that the U.S. will cease support of the Afghan forces as a part of an agreement with the Taliban insurgent group.

“A Reuters report quoting two unnamed Talib commanders alleges we will cease support of the Afghan forces as part of any agreement. Not true!” Khalilzad said in a tweet.

He further said that no one should be intimidated or fooled by propaganda.

“Let me be clear: We will defend Afghan forces now and after any agreement with the Talibs,” he added.

According to the U.S. Envoy, all sides agree Afghanistan future will be determined in intra-Afghan negotiations.

Meanwhile, Abdul Salaam Zaeef, a former Taliban official said on Monday that the U.S. and Taliban negotiators have finalized their meetings and possibly they will sign a peace accord very soon.

“The talks are finalized. The intra-Afghan dialogue has also been discussed but the time and place of intra-Afghan meeting is unknown yet,” Zaeef said.

According to the Taliban official who is closely following the developments from Kabul, the Taliban and U.S. officials are internally discussing how to execute the final agreement.

On the other hand, the Afghan government is looking to hear about the outcome of the US-Taliban talks which is ongoing in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Speaking at a press conference in Kabul today, presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqi said that they will be notified about the outcome of the negotiation through official channels.

The U.S. and Taliban negotiators have held nine rounds of talks so far as en effort to end the two-decade war in Afghanistan.