Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Makes Unannounced Visit to Afghanistan
WASHINGTON—Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin
created an unannounced pay a visit to to Afghanistan Sunday in advance of a coming deadline for President
Biden
to attract down U.S. troops in America’s longest war.
The Pentagon stated Mr. Austin fulfilled with Afghan President
Ashraf Ghani
alongside with U.S. navy and diplomatic leaders in the nation as component of the pay a visit to, the initially by a top Biden administration official and amid the newest endeavours by the U.S. and international powers to stop the two-decade war.
U.S. officials have not stated whether they will fulfill a Could one deadline for departing Afghanistan, established under the Trump administration as component of talks with leaders of the insurgent Taliban motion. But Biden administration officials have indicated repeatedly that getting rid of troops by then will be difficult, provided the amounts of ongoing violence.
The U.S. is component of a multi-prong international work in search of to prevent Afghanistan from getting to be a haven for extremist groups, drug smuggling or other types of instability to the location.
The potential of the Afghan conflict also will be a key subject matter for U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken
later this 7 days at a conference in Brussels of international ministers from North Atlantic Treaty Firm international locations.
“We went in together. We will adjust together as we have about the yrs. And when the time is suitable, we will depart together,”
Philip Reeker,
performing assistant secretary of condition for European and Eurasian affairs, instructed reporters final 7 days.
Jake Sullivan
clashed with Chinese counterparts about a assortment of problems during conferences final 7 days in Alaska.
Previously final 7 days, Russia recalled its U.S. ambassador in a signal of unhappiness about essential remarks by Mr. Biden and the launch of a U.S. intelligence evaluation blaming Russian President
Vladimir Putin
for in search of to interfere in the 2020 U.S. election.
Through a previously scheduled Afghan peace conference hosted by Moscow final 7 days, four nations—including the U.S., China, Russia and Pakistan—called on the Taliban to cut down violence and start out talks for a electrical power-sharing deal with the U.S.-backed Afghan government, led by Mr. Ghani.
In addition, the Ghani government has agreed to show up at a U.S.-proposed international peace conference in Istanbul up coming thirty day period that will involve Taliban representatives. Individuals talks are aimed at carving out a electrical power-sharing government involving the Taliban and Kabul.
“There’s often heading to be issues about things 1 way or the other, but I imagine there is a whole lot of energy targeted on doing what is needed to provide about a accountable stop and a negotiated settlement to the war,” Mr. Austin instructed reporters touring with him before arriving Sunday in Kabul.
There are at least two,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and 6,500 NATO troops, and those allies have stated they would rely on U.S. logistical aid to withdraw troops.
The Trump administration final year agreed to attract down the remaining American troops in Afghanistan by Could one as component of a deal with the Taliban. But amid fears that the withdrawal could guide to rising violence and the restoration of an Islamic emirate under the Taliban, the Biden administration has stated it has not created any last final decision on withdrawing troops.
In an job interview final 7 days with ABC Information, Mr. Biden hinted that the U.S. and allied troops could stay. Questioned whether the withdrawal would just take spot, Mr. Biden stated, “It could materialize, but it is tricky.” He extra that if the withdrawal deadline is prolonged, it will not be by “a whole lot for a longer period.”
The unannounced halt in Afghanistan marked the stop of Mr. Austin’s initially international vacation as protection main, which integrated stops in Japan, South Korea and India.
Although in New Delhi, Mr. Austin fulfilled with Indian Primary Minister
Narendra Modi
and Indian countrywide protection adviser
Ajit Doval
and his Indian counterpart,
Rajnath Singh,
in a bid to deepen protection ties involving the two international locations, in a bid to counter a additional aggressive China.
The two international locations signed agreements to make it possible for sharing of encrypted navy intelligence and geospatial information, and employing each and every other’s bases for protection forces to replenish materiel and fuel.
Write to Nancy A. Youssef at [email protected] and Ken Thomas at [email protected]
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