US urges Taliban to shun violence, return to talks

KABUL, 01 July 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: In the wake of mounting Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan, the US on Wednesday urged the group to end the ongoing violence and return to the negotiating table.

Washington’s front man in the capital Kabul, Ross Wilson, said in a series of tweets that firsthand accounts of Taliban offensives have been reported in different parts of the country.

“We call on the Taliban to end the ongoing violence and return to the negotiating table”, tweeted US’ Chargé d'Affaires to Afghanistan. He also quoted Ned Price, the State Department spokesman, who said last week: “The world will not accept the imposition … by force of a government in Afghanistan.”

This comes as the US Central Command on Tuesday announced taking 896 loads of material out of Afghanistan via the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III as part of President Joe Biden’s exit plan to be completed by September.

“Also, the US has officially handed over six facilities to the Afghan Ministry of Defense. We anticipate additional transfers of bases and military assets in the future which will support the ANDSF/GIRoA (Afghan National Defense and Security Forces/Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) as they work to stabilize and defend their nation,” said CENTCOM.

Amid ensuing violence in Afghanistan, the country’s Defense Ministry claimed 166 Taliban were killed and 82 more wounded in the past 24 hours during counter-terrorism offensives in various provinces.

In the wake of the US withdrawal, the Taliban are on offensive nationwide, overrunning more than 50 districts.