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International Desk: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the Afghan capital Monday amid an ongoing political crisis, a raging Taliban insurgency and rising coronavirus cases — all of which further threaten an already-floundering peace process.<\/p>\n
Pompeo was set to meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani along with his archrival Abdullah Abdullah, who also claims the presidency, following a contested election last year.<\/p>\n
According to a pool report from a journalist accompanying Pompeo, the top US diplomat was welcomed by special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad — the lead US negotiator in recent talks with the Taliban — after arriving at Kabul airport.<\/p>\n
The visit comes just a day after the Afghan government and the Taliban held their first discussion on arranging prisoner exchanges — a key step in a broader push for peace following a withdrawal deal signed between Washington and the militants last month.<\/p>\n
The agreement established a framework for bringing to an end America's longest war following the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.<\/p>\n
Khalilzad tweeted Sunday it was “urgent” to quickly conclude plans for the prisoner swap — as called for in the US pact with the Taliban — with the coronavirus pandemic complicating diplomatic contacts.<\/p>\n
The deal called for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban fighters held by Kabul, and up to 1,000 members of the Afghan government forces in insurgent hands.<\/p>\n
That was meant to take place before the start of peace talks originally set for March 10 between the government — which was not a party to the negotiations that produced the Doha deal — and the Taliban.<\/p>\n
After initially refusing to release the Taliban prisoners, Ghani announced that the authorities would free 1,500 insurgents as a “gesture of goodwill” with plans to free another 3,500 prisoners after the talks are underway.<\/p>\n
The Taliban rejected the offer.<\/p>\n
The Doha accord also calls for the gradual withdrawal of American and other foreign troops over a 14-month period — the main focus of the US diplomatic efforts.<\/p>\n
The first phase of that withdrawal has already begun, though some troop movements have been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n
In exchange, the Taliban committed to fight jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda and promised to negotiate for the first time with Kabul.<\/p>\n
But since the Doha agreement was signed, the Taliban have carried out scores of attacks.<\/p>\n
Political chaos in Kabul has further complicated matters, with Ghani's former chief executive Abdullah also claiming the presidency following last September's bitterly disputed election.<\/p>\n
The impasse and continued fighting along with the world's preoccupation with coronavirus has sparked fears the window for a peace deal is closing fast.<\/p>\n
Afghan health officials have reported just 40 cases of the novel coronavirus and one death to date.<\/p>\n
However health experts fear the contagion is spreading as tens of thousands of Afghans have returned home in recent weeks after fleeing virus-hit\u00a0Iran.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
International Desk: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the Afghan capital Monday amid an ongoing political crisis, a raging Taliban insurgency and rising coronavirus cases — all of which further threaten an already-floundering peace process. Pompeo was set to meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani along with his archrival Abdullah Abdullah, who also […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":58018,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n