ISLAMABAD – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the Afghan capitalKabul on Monday, a pool report said, amid an ongoing political crisis, araging Taliban insurgency and rising coronavirus cases.
Pompeo was set to meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani along with hisarchrival Abdullah Abdullah, who also claims the presidency, following acontested election last year.
The visit comes just a day after the Afghan government and the Taliban heldtheir first discussion on arranging prisoner exchanges — a key step in abroader push for peace following a withdrawal deal signed betweenWashington and the militants last month.
The agreement established a framework for bringing to an end America’slongest war following the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
American envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the lead negotiator in the Taliban talks,tweeted Sunday it was “urgent” to quickly conclude plans for the prisonerswap — as called for in the US pact with the Taliban — with the coronaviruspandemic complicating diplomatic contacts.
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The deal called for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban fighters held byKabul, and up to 1,000 members of the Afghan government forces in insurgenthands.
That was meant to take place before the start of peace talks between thegovernment — which was not a party to the negotiations that produced theDoha deal — and the Taliban, originally set for March 10. -APP/AFP
