[ad_1]
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – A Taliban spokesman said the United States must complete the evacuation of people from Afghanistan by August 31, a date set by the Biden administration for the withdrawal of all American troops.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group would not agree to “any extension” of the deadline. He says life is returning to normal in the country but the chaos at the airport remains a problem. Many Afghans are desperate to flee the Taliban takeover of the country.
Mujahid says he is not “aware” of any meeting between the Taliban and the CIA, but he did not deny that such a meeting took place. An official said the director of the US agency met the Taliban’s top politician in Kabul on Monday.
THIS IS A CURRENT UPDATE. AP’s previous story follows below.
The CIA director met with the Taliban’s top politician in Kabul, an official said on Tuesday, as more and more reports of abuse in areas held by fighters, fueling concerns about the future of Afghanistan and the plight of those who rush to leave the country before the impending withdrawal of the United States.
The past few days have seen a flurry of efforts to speed up a chaotic evacuation of foreigners and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul airport, where scenes of desperation have highlighted both dismay at the U.S. withdrawal and fears that the Taliban again impose a brutal rule. Group of Seven leaders plan to meet later today to discuss a possible extension of the airlift beyond the August 31 deadline for the US withdrawal despite a warning from the Taliban that would be a “Red line”.
While details of William Burns’ discussion with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday were withheld, the meeting represents an extraordinary moment for a CIA that for two decades has targeted the Taliban in paramilitary operations. And that gives some idea of the extent of the feuds that unfold before America’s two-decade war in the country ends.
The CIA joined forces with Pakistani forces to arrest Baradar in 2010. He spent eight years in a Pakistani prison. before the Trump administration persuaded Pakistan to release it in 2018 ahead of the peace talks.
The Washington Post first reported Burns’ meeting with Baradar. A US official confirmed the report on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak in public.
In the aftermath of their stunning takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban leadership has vowed to restore security and tried to project an image of moderation, but many Afghans are skeptical. UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet added to those concerns on Tuesday, warning that she had credible reports of “summary executions” and restrictions on women in areas under Taliban control. She urged the Human Rights Council to take “bold and vigorous steps” to monitor the rights situation.
Bachelet did not specify what period of time she was referring to or the source of her reports. It has been difficult to determine the scale of the abuses and whether they reflect the fact that the Taliban leadership is saying one thing and doing another, or whether the fighters on the ground are taking matters into their own hands.
When the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s, the group largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, cut off the hands of suspected thieves, and organized public executions.
Later Tuesday, G-7 leaders plan to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan, as EU leaders pressure the United States to consider delaying its withdrawal to allow more time to evacuate those desperate to leave.
US administration officials declined to know if an extension is likely or even possible as a Taliban spokesman warned that August 31 was a “red line” and that the extension of the US presence “would provoke a reaction”.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the majority of local staff working for his country in Afghanistan had not yet left and called Tuesday’s meeting “very important” to discuss international access to the country. Kabul airport beyond the end of August. The UK Defense Secretary has separately called the deadline a “mistake”.
Tragic scenes at the airport pierced the world. Afghans spilled onto the tarmac last week, with some hanging onto a US military transport plane as it took off, later plunging into their deaths. At least seven people died that day, and seven more died Sunday in a stampede of panic. An Afghan soldier was killed in a shootout on Monday.
Highlighting the fears of those seeking to flee, Bachelet on Tuesday cited reports of “summary executions” of civilians and former members of the security forces who were no longer fighting, recruitment of child soldiers and restrictions the rights of women to move freely and of girls. go to school. She cited the crackdown on peaceful protests and expressions of dissent.
She called for firm action to investigate reports of rights violations.
“At this critical time, the Afghan people are turning to the Human Rights Council to defend and protect their rights,” she said. “I urge this council to take bold and vigorous action, commensurate with the gravity of this crisis, by establishing a dedicated mechanism to closely monitor developments in the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
By “mechanism,” Bachelet was referring to the possibility of the council appointing a commission of inquiry, a special rapporteur or a fact-finding mission into the situation in Afghanistan.
While advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch have echoed such calls, a draft council resolution halted far from in-depth consideration – and appeared to postpone further examination of the rights situation until see you next year.
___
Marchand brought back from Washington and Keaten from Geneva. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link