No decision yet on troop pullout deadline: US

The Biden administration has not yet taken any decision on the May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, a top US diplomat says.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers on Wednesday the US had accelerated diplomatic efforts to stabilise the war-torn country.

He informed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs: “We have boosted diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan ahead of the May 1st deadline,”

The Biden administration wanted the Taliban to sever relations with Al-Qaeda in line with the commitment made in last year’s peace deal.

Blinken the US is engaged in a diplomatic effort to try to drive the warring parties to the table “meaningfully on a peaceful future for Afghanistan” and enlisting the UN and regional neighbors.

A day earlier, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez suggested a rethink on the May 1 deadline for troop withdrawal.

The influential lawmaker blamed the Taliban for not honouring their commitments under the Doha peace agreement with the US.

PAN Monitor/mud