Violence reduction may begin next week: Esper

KABUL “is expected to begin in the next week”

Esper said on Saturday the deal appeared “very promising” and could lead to American troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He was speaking at the Munich Security Conference just a day before the expected announcement of the long-elusive agreement, according to Fox News.

“It’s my view as well that we have to give peace a chance, that the best, if not the only, way forward in Afghanistan is through a political agreement and that means taking some risk,” Esper remarked.

President Ashraf Ghani has not yet spoken publicly about the agreement, but according to Esper, he is “fully on board”.

“He (Ghani) wants to lead his part of the process, which if we get to that would be a peace deal that would involve very soon afterward an inter-Afghan negotiation,” Esper commented. 

“He wants to be clearly a full partner in that and wants to lead on that and make sure that all Afghans come together.”

The defense secretary told reporters the US troop levels could be reduced to about 8,600 — from 12,000 currently in the country — if the week-long truce turns out to be a success.

However, the US Defense Department says counterterrorism operations will continue in the country.

“Under any agreement, General Miller retains the authorities necessary to protect US national security interests, including the capabilities to strike ISIS-K and al-Qaida,” Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said.

Also on Saturday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told the conference he also supported the plan but stressed the alliance’s mission in Afghanistan would continue.

“We are not leaving Afghanistan but we are prepared to adjust our force level if the Taliban demonstrate the will and the capability to reduce violence…”

sa/mud

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