Ghani: U.S. Pullout Not to Affect Security in Afghanistan
KABUL (Dispatches) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says that withdrawal of 4,000 U.S. troops from his country will leave no impact on the security situation in the country.
Ghani made the remarks in a meeting with the Afghan army commanders on the recent agreement between the Taliban and the U.S.
"The opportunity created for peace is the result of the security forces’ fight and resistance in the past two years and it prevented the Taliban group from attaining its goal,” he added.
"Our position to end the war has created this opportunity that Taliban accepted to decrease violence,” Ghani said.
A senior U.S. official said Friday the United States and the Taliban have reached a truce agreement that will take effect "very soon” and could lead to withdrawals of American troops from Afghanistan.
The official said the agreement for a seven-day truce to be followed by the start of all-Afghan talks within 10 days is "very specific” and covers the entire country including Afghan forces.
The Taliban said Monday that a deal with the United States will be signed by the end of the month, with the top U.S. negotiator describing himself as "cautiously optimistic” about the process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, a senior Taliban leader and member of the political commission in Doha, Qatar, said in a video message shared with journalists that after negotiations, "both sides have initiated the final draft of the peace agreement. Now talks are concluded.”
Meanwhile, Ghani won a second term in office with a slim majority of the votes cast, a result that comes five months after the election.
The country’s election commission said Tuesday that Ghani won 50.64% of the votes cast in the Sept. 28 poll, confirming preliminary results it released in December. The incumbent president just exceeded the threshold needed to avoid a runoff against his top rivals.
Ghani made the remarks in a meeting with the Afghan army commanders on the recent agreement between the Taliban and the U.S.
"The opportunity created for peace is the result of the security forces’ fight and resistance in the past two years and it prevented the Taliban group from attaining its goal,” he added.
"Our position to end the war has created this opportunity that Taliban accepted to decrease violence,” Ghani said.
A senior U.S. official said Friday the United States and the Taliban have reached a truce agreement that will take effect "very soon” and could lead to withdrawals of American troops from Afghanistan.
The official said the agreement for a seven-day truce to be followed by the start of all-Afghan talks within 10 days is "very specific” and covers the entire country including Afghan forces.
The Taliban said Monday that a deal with the United States will be signed by the end of the month, with the top U.S. negotiator describing himself as "cautiously optimistic” about the process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, a senior Taliban leader and member of the political commission in Doha, Qatar, said in a video message shared with journalists that after negotiations, "both sides have initiated the final draft of the peace agreement. Now talks are concluded.”
Meanwhile, Ghani won a second term in office with a slim majority of the votes cast, a result that comes five months after the election.
The country’s election commission said Tuesday that Ghani won 50.64% of the votes cast in the Sept. 28 poll, confirming preliminary results it released in December. The incumbent president just exceeded the threshold needed to avoid a runoff against his top rivals.