US negotiating with Taliban to prevent group from attacking American troops: Washington Post

WASHINGTON

The US is negotiating with the Taliban to prevent the group from attacking its troops during the evacuation of American personnel at the Kabul Embassy in the Afghan capital, according to the Washington Post on Saturday.

A report by the newspaper covering the latest situation in Afghanistan said the US administration has made attempts to prevent the Taliban from attacking American soldiers.

US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban officials in Doha, Qatar, and Washington reportedly asked the Taliban not to do anything until the evacuation of staff at the embassy.

The US conveyed that the entry of the Taliban into Kabul could be more comfortably accepted by the international community and Afghans if the group will not interfere with the evacuation of US personnel at the embassy and avoid conflict with American troops who went there for that purpose, said the newspaper.

The New York Times also reported Friday that US negotiators contacted the Taliban to make sure it will not attack the embassy and the evacuation would be carried out securely as the Taliban taking control of the capital is seen as likely to occur.

Khalilzad hopes to convince Taliban leaders that the embassy should remain open and secure, anticipating that the group will want to receive US aid as part of a future Afghan government, he said.

Making rapid gains over the past few days, the Taliban have now taken control of 24 of Afghanistan's 34 provincial capitals.

Other cities overrun by the Taliban includ Qalat, Tarinkot, Pul-e-Alam, Kandahar, Lashkargah, Herat, Feroz Koh, Qala-e-Nau, Ghazni, Fayzabad, Aybak, Zaranj, Sheberghan, Kunduz, Pul-e-Khumri, Taluqan and Sar-e-Pul.

Meanwhile, in a short televised speech, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani vowed on Saturday to continue defending his government.

"The country is in serious danger of instability," he said.

*Writing by Merve Berker