A State Department spokesman, Ned Price, said in a statement when he met with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar over the weekend, the United States had agreed to provide humanitarian aid directly to the people of Afghanistan.
On October 9th and 10th, a delegation of ministries visited Doha to meet with the Taliban’s senior representative, according to Price. This is the first face-to-face meeting with a former enemy since the confused withdrawal of US troops at the end of August.
Both sides “discussed providing strong humanitarian assistance directly to the Afghan people,” said Price, and the U.S. delegation was concerned about security and terrorism, as well as U.S. citizens, other foreigners, and the country. He added that he focused on the safe passage of the United States. Afghanistan partner.
The United States also emphasized human rights issues in Afghanistan, including “meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghanistan’s society,” Price said.
“The discussions were straightforward and professional, and the US delegation reiterated that the Taliban were judged not only by their words but by their actions,” a spokesman added.
Meanwhile, a Taliban terrorist group that took control of Kabul on August 15 Said in a statement The negotiations were “successful,” and Washington released humanitarian aid to the country after agreeing not to link humanitarian aid to the official approval of the Taliban.
Suhail Shaheen, a political spokesman for the Taliban, said during talks that the Taliban had promised to ensure that Afghan soil was not being used by militants to launch attacks on other nations. The interim foreign minister said he had guaranteed the United States.
However, on Saturday, the Taliban denied cooperation with Washington to contain the increasingly active ISIS terrorist group in Afghanistan.
The Taliban’s enemy, ISIS, has claimed responsibility for many recent attacks, including a suicide bombing on Friday that killed 46 minority Shiite Muslims. Washington sees ISIS as the greatest threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
“We can work on Daesh independently,” Shaheen said when pressured on whether the Taliban would work with the United States to contain ISIS affiliates. He used the Arabic acronym for ISIS.
Before the Taliban leaders arrived in Kabul, many of Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, had already struggled to support their families in a severe drought. Currently, the economy has collapsed and the Taliban’s newly declared government is isolated, but aid agencies say millions are facing hunger due to lack of international recognition. ..
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last month that Afghans “need a lifeline”, citing the country’s “spiral” poverty rate.
“After decades of war, suffering and anxiety, they are probably facing the most dangerous times. Now is the time for the international community to stand with them,” he said. “And to be clear, this conference is not just about what we give to the people of Afghanistan. It’s about what we owe.”
United Nations Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United States “promises to provide humanitarian assistance” to Afghanistan.
According to the United States Agency for International Development, the United States is the largest humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, receiving up to $ 330 million in financial support this year alone.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Isabelle van Brugen
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Isabel van Brugen is an award-winning journalist and currently a news reporter for The Epoch Times. She holds a master’s degree in newspaper journalism from City, University of London.