Reviewing engagement with Taliban on human rights: US

KABUL [Pajhwok] : The US on Monday said it was reviewing its approach and engagement with the Taliban in the context of many human rights violations and was actively evaluating with the allies and partners to take the next appropriate steps towards it.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, in a press briefing, underlined that the US continued to be the world's leading humanitarian provider to the people of Afghanistan, and was not providing the Taliban with any support.

"It is certainly not the case that we are providing the Taliban with any support. In fact, the US continues to be the world's leading humanitarian provider to the people of Afghanistan. We have provided about USD 1.1 billion worth of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, not to any Taliban people or any entity purporting to represent or serve the government," he said.

Price said that the US is reviewing its approach in terms of the grave humanitarian violations that are taking place in the country as well as the actions the world has seen from the Taliban in recent weeks and recent months.

“We are actively evaluating with allies, partners are the appropriate next steps. We have been clear that there will be a cost for the Taliban for these actions as absolutely everything remains on the table."

Recently, a United Nations (UN) delegation has warned the Taliban that Afghanistan would be further isolated if it isolates its women.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, the Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous, and the Assistant Secretary-General for UN political, peacebuilding, and peace operations Khaled Khiari, were part of the UN delegation visiting Kabul.

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