US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Millie met with Taliban representatives in Qatar and called for speeding up the peace process by easing tensions in Afghanistan.
The U.S. military said in a statement that General Mark Mill met during a break in talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government until January 5, according to Reuters.
The Afghan Taliban and the government will continue talks on the agenda from January 5.
The U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said General Mark Millay had met with Taliban officials in June but did not comment on the meeting.
According to the report, this is the first time that the US chairman is meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Taliban, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other senior US military officials have met with the Taliban in Afghanistan before.
"The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussed the immediate need to reduce tensions and accelerate negotiations for a political solution that is conducive to the stability of the region and the protection of US national interests," the military said in a statement. '
The US general also visited Kabul on the sidelines of the visit and met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
US President Donald Trump announced after an agreement with the Taliban that 2,500 of the 4,500 US troops in Afghanistan would be withdrawn by mid-January, while a full withdrawal would be in US interests after a long war. Postponed due to damage and opposition.
Recent tensions in Afghanistan seem to have dashed hopes for an end to the war that began in Afghanistan in 2001.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this month that tensions in Afghanistan had risen to unbearable levels and called on warring factions to take a step back.
It should be noted that the ongoing war in Afghanistan killed 3,500 allies between 2001 and 2020, of whom 2,400 were Americans and the rest were members of other nations in NATO, in addition to more than 20,000 Americans in the 19 years. Wounded in a long battle.
In addition, the United States spent a total of 75 975 billion to continue the war in Afghanistan.
Moreover, due to its length and losses, this war has become the most unpopular war in the history of the United States and since 2008 every presidential candidate has been promising to end this conflict as soon as possible.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that he wants US troops to return from the war-torn country as soon as possible.
In an August interview with the US website XOS, he said he planned to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan to 5,000 by the November 3 election.
It should be noted that the peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban was signed in Doha, Qatar, in which it was agreed that all foreign troops would withdraw from Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for security guarantees and a complete ceasefire with the Afghan government.
US media observers have warned that President Trump's plan would weaken Kabul's position in international negotiations and strengthen the Taliban, which is already gaining ground.
Observers added that if President Trump loses the November 3 election, the new administration may reconsider its plan to withdraw troops.
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmai Khalilzad told the House of Representatives that the US military presence in Afghanistan would be finalized when the number of troops in the country reaches 4,500.
