Pentagon breaks silence over historic deal with Afghan Taliban, claim to be a good deal
Shares
WASHINGTON - Pentagon breaks silence over historic deal with Afghan Taliban, claim to be a good deal for Afghanistan and America both.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said Washington is seeking a “good deal” with the Taliban after a wave of violence overshadowed its talks with the militant group.
“The United States’ view is that the best way forward is a political agreement and that (is what) we’re working diligently on right now, that doesn’t mean we’ll take any deal,” Esper said on Saturday during a press conference in Paris with his French counterpart.
“We will make sure we have a good deal, a good enough deal that guarantees at least the security of our countries going forward and a brighter path ahead for the Afghan people,” he stated.
Esper's remarks came after Washington and the militant group reached a draft peace agreement this week, which has been criticized by the Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani.
Under the draft accord, thousands of US troops would be withdrawn over the coming months from Afghanistan. In exchange, the Taliban would guarantee that Afghanistan would not be used as a base for militant attacks on the US and its allies.
This comes as Taliban militants launched fresh assaults in the western province of Farah on Friday.
