U.S. still hopes for a political, diplomatic solution.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said they acknowledge that the Taliban is seeking a military victory in Afghanistan, not a peace deal, in the wake of America’s withdrawal.
He stated, “It is clear from what they are doing that they have governance designs certainly of a national scale. It is clear from what they are doing that they believe there is a military solution to the end of this conflict.”
“We continue to believe that the most sustainable and the most responsible end and solution to this war is a political one, one through negotiated diplomacy. A negotiated settlement that is Afghan-led. Nothing has changed about our desire to see that be the outcome,” Kirby said.
The Taliban continues to seize territory in Afghanistan and has even rejected a proposal from Turkey to guard and run the airport in Kabul. Estimates suggest the Taliban controls nearly half of the 400 districts in Afghanistan, although they claim to have 85 percent of Afghan territory under their control. The security situation in Afghanistan has rapidly deteriorated and hundreds of Afghan service members have crossed the border into Tajikistan in response to the Taliban advances.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the safety of the remaining American and NATO troops as they continue their withdrawal from Afghanistan.
- For State Department and military officials as they prepare strategy and policy to handle the Taliban.
- For the Afghan citizens who cooperated with the U.S. and its allies and who are under threat of retaliation by the Taliban.
Sources: Washington Examiner, Al Jazeera
