In what appears a major shift in U.S. policy on Afghanistan, American diplomats have been directed to pursue direct talks with the Taliban, a media report said on Monday.
Over the past few weeks, U.S. officials have visited Kabul and Islamabad to pave the ground for direct negotiations with Taliban. Previously, the U.S. had ruled out face-to-face dialogue with the rebel movement.
Last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo briefly visited Kabul. Alice G. Wells, President Donald Trump’s point-person for the region, also met top officials in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Senior American and Afghan officials confirmed the change in U.S. policy to The New York Times. The shift is aimed to ensure comprehensive negotiations on ending the longest war in U.S. history.
The shift stems from a realisation by Afghan and American officials that President Trump’s South Asia strategy, which was rolled out in August 2017, has not yielded significant progress in undoing Taliban’s gains.
Washington’s willingness to hold direct parleys with the insurgents was reflective of the sense of urgency in the Trump administration to break the stalemate in Afghanistan, the newspaper said.
The move is perceived as part of a bigger push to inject new momentum into efforts, including last month’s unprecedented truce, to bring the war to an end.
The U.S. has also stepped up pressure on Pakistan to stop providing sanctuary to Taliban leaders and a rallying of Islamic nations against the insurgency’s ideology.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
