US vows to mount pressure on Taliban in Afghanistan
Top US officials in Afghanistan reiterated resolve to mount pressure on Taliban to shun violence, join peace process
By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL, Afghanistan
A senior U.S. diplomat and military official in Afghanistan Thursday reiterated a resolve to mount pressure on the Taliban to shun violence and join the peace process.
Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission (RSM), and the U.S. Embassy Special Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador Hugo Llorens briefed media in Kabul about the future plans on the ground in the country.
The ambassador said Washington would maintain pressure on the Taliban to join peace process in Afghanistan in line with the new strategy announced by U.S. President Donald Trump a day earlier.
He said the new strategy makes the US commitment to Afghanistan very clear.
“We will emphasize with all regional countries on the importance of cooperation to reduce the threat of terrorism and nuclearized conflict,” he said.
Under the new strategy, Llorens said the U.S. would strengthen its support for the Afghan government and security forces in the fight against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Daesh and other insurgents.
“Afghanistan will have new tools and expertise to secure its territory and make all of the country a safe place for its citizens,” he said, adding the U.S. would shift from a time-based approach of determining troops level to the one based on conditions on the ground.
Stop killing innocent civilians
Meanwhile, Gen. Nicholson said the Taliban can never win on the battlefield, and they should instead come and join the peace process.
“Taliban have a simple choice: Stop fighting against your countrymen. Stop killing innocent civilians. Stop bringing hardship and misery,” he said.
The U.S. General stressed the Afghan people want peace and the international community is with them in this journey. “It's a shared vision we can all work towards,” he said.
The two leaders also emphasized upon the role of Pakistan and India in stabilizing war-riddled Afghanistan.
The U.S. Ambassador stressed that Pakistan has much to lose by failing to take adequate steps to counter terrorist groups based on its soil.
On Monday, the U.S. President claimed Pakistan "often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror".
“We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.
Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists,” Trump said while announcing his new strategy.
In the same speech, the US President announced developing strategic partnership with India -- Pakistan’s traditional rival in the region -- as critical part of the South Asia strategy for America.
Taking note of President Trump’s statement outlining elements of a new US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia, Pakistan has pronounced it ‘disappointing’.
