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US Seeks To Reduce War Cost, Casualties In Afghanistan: Pompeo

The US Secretary of State of Mike Pompeo has said that the United States is trying to reduce American casualties in Afghanistan and the cost of the war as violence continues to grip the country despite a growing hope for a potential peace agreement between the US and the Taliban. 

Mr. Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News that the US is also committed to preventing Afghanistan’s territory from being used against the US. 

“The mission the president gave us to do two things, to see if we can reduce our cost which has been tens and tens of billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan and we lose the lives of American young men and women every year to reduce that risk, but at the same time, ensure that we maintain a posture that can reduce the risk that there is an attack again from Afghanistan to our homeland,” Mr. Pompeo said. 

When asked about the rumors about the US forces withdraw from Afghanistan, Mr. Pompeo said that any decision regarding the issue will be conditions-based. 

“Those twin goals which the president set out for my team and for the Department of Defense, we are working towards them. I am confident that we can achieve them,” Mr. Pompeo said. “Any reduction that we make will be based on conditions on the ground and will be consistent with achieving those two goals on behalf of the president and on behalf of American people.”   

Sima Samar, Present Ashraf Ghani’s special representative on human rights affairs, meanwhile, warned against imposing a Taliban system of governance on the Afghan people. 

“Negotiations should take place, but a peace where there is no the participation of the people and there is no guarantee for the participation of women and participation of victims of the war, is not durable,” she said. 

This comes after a deadly attack claimed by Daesh targeted a wedding ceremony in Kabul, killing over 60 civilians. Pointing to recent attacks by the group in Afghanistan, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah at a campaign rally in Kabul on Tuesday said that the Taliban is refusing to hold negotiations with the Afghan government and that the group is creating a hurdle on the way of peace. 

“The reason is that Daesh makes a foothold in Afghanistan is to prolong the war and also the Taliban have insisted on the continuation of the war. It means they do not have the will for peace,” said Abdullah. 

“Any understanding which will be made should lead to a peace which is acceptable to the people of Afghanistan and that needs a ceasefire and end of the war,” presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.

US Seeks To Reduce War Cost, Casualties In Afghanistan: Pompeo

The US secretary of state says any decision regarding the issue will be conditions-based. 

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The US Secretary of State of Mike Pompeo has said that the United States is trying to reduce American casualties in Afghanistan and the cost of the war as violence continues to grip the country despite a growing hope for a potential peace agreement between the US and the Taliban. 

Mr. Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News that the US is also committed to preventing Afghanistan’s territory from being used against the US. 

“The mission the president gave us to do two things, to see if we can reduce our cost which has been tens and tens of billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan and we lose the lives of American young men and women every year to reduce that risk, but at the same time, ensure that we maintain a posture that can reduce the risk that there is an attack again from Afghanistan to our homeland,” Mr. Pompeo said. 

When asked about the rumors about the US forces withdraw from Afghanistan, Mr. Pompeo said that any decision regarding the issue will be conditions-based. 

“Those twin goals which the president set out for my team and for the Department of Defense, we are working towards them. I am confident that we can achieve them,” Mr. Pompeo said. “Any reduction that we make will be based on conditions on the ground and will be consistent with achieving those two goals on behalf of the president and on behalf of American people.”   

Sima Samar, Present Ashraf Ghani’s special representative on human rights affairs, meanwhile, warned against imposing a Taliban system of governance on the Afghan people. 

“Negotiations should take place, but a peace where there is no the participation of the people and there is no guarantee for the participation of women and participation of victims of the war, is not durable,” she said. 

This comes after a deadly attack claimed by Daesh targeted a wedding ceremony in Kabul, killing over 60 civilians. Pointing to recent attacks by the group in Afghanistan, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah at a campaign rally in Kabul on Tuesday said that the Taliban is refusing to hold negotiations with the Afghan government and that the group is creating a hurdle on the way of peace. 

“The reason is that Daesh makes a foothold in Afghanistan is to prolong the war and also the Taliban have insisted on the continuation of the war. It means they do not have the will for peace,” said Abdullah. 

“Any understanding which will be made should lead to a peace which is acceptable to the people of Afghanistan and that needs a ceasefire and end of the war,” presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.

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