Taliban now fighting against govt, people: Pompeo told

KABUL (Pajhwok): Reacting to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s recent remarks that no American soldier was killed in almost a year in Afghanistan, the Presidential Palace on Sunday said the Taliban were now fighting against the Afghan government and people.

In a tweet, Pompeo on Saturday said, “No U.S. servicemen have been killed in Afghanistan in almost a year, and Afghans are finally discussing peace and reconciliation among themselves. Such incredible progress.”

Based on US-Taliban agreement signed in February 2020, the US forces should withdraw from Afghanistan following a schedule and Taliban should stop attacks on the US forces.

Dawa Khan Minapal, deputy spokesman to the president, in a video message said that the casualties of US forces in Afghanistan had zeroed because all the responsibility of war had been shifted to Afghan forces.

“The Taliban are now fighting against the government and the nation due to which unfortunately civilian casualties have increased”, he said.

Meanwhile, a number of senators also reacted to Pompeo’s remarks.

Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, Meshrano Jirga deputy chairman, said that all countries worked for their own interests and the US also worked for reducing their troops’ casualties while ignoring the lives of Afghans.

“The US secretary of state’s remarks weaken the people and show no one has come here for us, they have come here for their own interests.”

Thousands of Afghan soldiers and civilians have been killed during this period but Pompeo said nothing about them and the government and the Taliban should learn a lesson from Pompeo’s statements, he said.

Meshrano Jirga chairman, Fazal Hadi Muslimyar, also said it was a shame when Pompeo mentioned zero casualties of US forces in Afghanistan after the Doha deal and said nothing about thousands of Afghans killed in the conflict.

“We have no complaint from the US secretary of state because he talks about their own national interests, I congratulate the Taliban and the US that no American soldier was killed during this period,” he said.

The Taliban did not comment in this regard.

Mds/ma