U.S. will send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Taliban says – National

The U.S. has agreed to offer humanitarian support to a desperately poor Afghanistan getting ready to an financial catastrophe, whereas refusing to offer political recognition to the nation’s new Taliban rulers, the Taliban stated Sunday.

The assertion got here on the finish of the primary direct talks between the previous foes for the reason that chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops on the finish of August.

There was no quick remark from the U.S. on the weekend assembly.

The Taliban stated the talks held in Doha, Qatar, “went nicely,” with Washington releasing up humanitarian support to Afghanistan after agreeing to not hyperlink such help to formal recognition of the Taliban.

The USA made it clear that the talks have been on no account a preamble to recognition of the Taliban, who swept into energy Aug. 15 after the U.S.-allied authorities collapsed.

Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen additionally instructed The Related Press that the motion’s interim international minister assured the U.S. throughout the talks that the Taliban are dedicated to seeing that Afghan soil just isn’t utilized by extremists to launch assaults in opposition to different international locations.

On Saturday, nonetheless, the Taliban dominated out cooperation with Washington on containing the more and more lively Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

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What’s subsequent for the ladies of Afghanistan?

IS, an enemy of the Taliban, has claimed duty for numerous current assaults, together with Friday’s suicide bombing that killed 46 minority Shiite Muslims. Washington considers IS its biggest terrorist risk emanating from Afghanistan.

“We’re capable of sort out Daesh independently,” Shaheen stated when requested whether or not the Taliban would work with the U.S. to include the Islamic State affiliate. He used an Arabic acronym for IS.

Invoice Roggio, a senior fellow on the Basis for Protection of Democracies who tracks militant teams, agreed the Taliban don’t want Washington’s assist to seek out and destroy Afghanistan’s IS affiliate, often called the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, or ISKP.

The Taliban “fought 20 years to eject the U.S., and the very last thing it wants is the return of the U.S. It additionally doesn’t want U.S. assist,” stated Roggio, who additionally produces the inspiration’s Lengthy Struggle Journal. “The Taliban has to conduct the tough and time-consuming job of rooting out ISKP cells and its restricted infrastructure. It has all of the information and instruments it must do it.”

The IS affiliate doesn’t have the benefit of protected havens in Pakistan and Iran that the Taliban had in its struggle in opposition to america, Roggio stated. Nonetheless, he warned that the Taliban’s longtime help for al-Qaida make them unreliable as counterterrorism companions with america.

The Taliban gave refuge to al-Qaida earlier than it carried out the 9/11 assaults. That prompted the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that drove the Taliban from energy.

“It’s insane for the U.S. to assume the Taliban generally is a dependable counterterrorism companion, given the Taliban’s enduring help for al-Qaida,” Roggio stated.

In the course of the assembly, U.S. officers have been anticipated to press the Taliban to permit Individuals and others to go away Afghanistan. Of their assertion, the Taliban stated with out elaborating that they’d “facilitate principled motion of international nationals.”