KABUL- *Commander of US Forces and NATO’s Resolute Support mission inAfghanistan Gen. John Nicholson has stressed the need for pressure to bemaintained on insurgents in order to bring about a politically negotiatedsolution. *
Speaking in Kandahar on Monday, he said: “… as we make an offer, we mustalso keep up pressure. Pressure, diplomatic pressure, social pressure,military pressure,” he said, TOLO News has reported.
He also stated that the Afghan peace process has the full support of theinternational community.
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance hasdoubled its efforts to fight terrorism.
“We have also redoubled our efforts to fight terrorism, including bybolstering our mission in Afghanistan with strong support from Turkey andwe are stepping up our support for other partners as well,” he said.
“Turkey also helps to build stability abroad by playing a lead role inAfghanistan with hundreds of troops in our Resolute Support mission inAfghanistan and Turkey also helps with funding for the Afghan national armyand security forces,” Stoltenberg added.
Afghanistan’s High Peace Council, HPC, said Taliban has shown optimismtowards peace talks in indirect contacts with the council.
“Discussions are ongoing in Taliban’s leadership, in military andnon-military levels to soon announce how they want to be ready for peacenegotiations with the government of Afghanistan,” HPC spokesman Sayed EhsanTaheri said.
This comes after the Afghan government announced a peace offer to theTaliban earlier this year in the hope of getting the insurgent group to thepeace talks tables. However, the Taliban has not yet responded to thispeace offer.