Umer Daudzai, President Ashraf Ghani’s Special Representative on Regional Affairs for Consensus on Peace, who attended the International Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan last week said that a rapid US troop withdrawal would increase violence in his country.
“If it happened in a matter that’s not orderly … if it happens that it leaves a vacuum behind, then obviously bloodshed would increase,” Daudzai said in an interview with CNN.
About recent peace talks between the United States and Taliban in Doha, the former ambassador said neither side had fully agreed to anything.
As the Taliban wanted a clear US commitment to a withdrawal schedule, Washington asked the rebel movement to attack al Qaeda and ISIS after the deal, the ex-interior minister explained.
The Taliban were not willing for direct talks with the Afghan government, he acknowledged, saying Kabul was ready dialogue with the militant group
Daudzai said: “I think Taliban leaders are worried that unless there is a withdrawal schedule announced, if they meet with the Afghan government (it) would demoralize their commanders and field soldiers…”
With regard to Kabul’s position on the possible US military exit, Daudzai said: “We don’t see any practical consequences yet. But pressure from President Trump in a way creates concern and opportunity.”
His remarks come amid escalating efforts by the Afghan government and its international partners, US on the top, to find a solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.
The US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that “tremendous amount of good things are happening” and that Afghanistan is talking about “settling” for the first time in the past 18 years.
Trump said that Afghanistan is talking about “making an agreement”, adding that if that happens, he will withdraw troops from the country.
“You even look at what’s going on, and I can’t tell you that this is a guarantee because we’re going into close to 19 years in being in Afghanistan, and for the first time they’re talking about settling,” Trump said. “They’re talking about making an agreement and we bring our people back home, if that happens,” Trump said.
He added that “serious negotiations” are ongoing on the Afghan peace for the first time – in the last 18 years – adding that “there is a reason for that”.
US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who held talks with Taliban in Qatar in mid-January, said in a tweet on Saturday that he attended the International Contact Group (ICG) meeting on Afghanistan, adding that the US and the UK “share a common view on necessity of intra-Afghan talks”.
According to Khalilzad, US negotiators and Taliban representatives had agreed in principal on a draft framework for peace during the talks in Doha.
Trump on Wednesday said in a tweet that talks with the Taliban are “proceeding well” and the results will be determined “soon”, adding that the Afghan people “want peace in this never-ending war”.
He made the remarks as the US Senate on Thursday voted 68-23 to advance an amendment that would oppose withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Syria.
Trump has argued that Daesh had been defeated even though his intelligence chiefs disagree.
Trump abruptly tweeted plans in December to withdraw half of the 16,000 US forces from Afghanistan.
This announcement by the US president met with mixed reaction by Afghan and United States politicians.
