Secretary Blinken Affirms US Commitment To Afghanistan In Meeting With Ghani - State Dept.

Secretary Blinken Affirms US Commitment to Afghanistan in Meeting With Ghani - State Dept.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged continued US backing for Afghanistan in a meeting with President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, the State Department said in a readout of the session on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th April, 2021) Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged continued US backing for Afghanistan in a meeting with President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, the State Department said in a readout of the session on Thursday.

"Secretary Blinken and President Ghani discussed our shared investment in Afghanistan and the importance of preserving the gains of the last twenty years, especially in building a strong civil society and protecting the rights of women and girls," the readout said.

They also discussed counter-terrorism cooperation and a shared commitment to preventing al Qaeda (banned in Russia) from regaining a foothold in Afghanistan, the readout added.

The readout made no mention of President Biden's announcement that the US will withdraw all US military forces by September 11, 2021.

Blinken also met with the head of the Afghanistan High Commission for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, in Kabul to discuss the importance of continuing to work toward a negotiated political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire with the Taliban.

"Secretary Blinken reiterated the U.S. commitment to the peace process and that we will use our full diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian toolkit to support the future the Afghan people want, including the gains made by Afghan women," the State Department said in a separate readout.

The recent US attempts to broker a peace agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban has faltered amid continued terrorist attacks by the Taliban.