Tillerson Makes Unannounced Visit to Afghanistan

KABUL — 

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to discuss the new U.S. strategy for South Asia with the country's leaders.

Tillerson, on a Middle East and South Asia tour, met Monday with President Afghan Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and Afghan National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar during his brief stay, according to the Afghan leader's office. The talks were held at Bagram airbase, outside of Kabul.

“The Secretary stated the new U.S. strategy for South Asia makes clear the United States’ commitment to working with the government of Afghanistan and with partners across the region to achieve peace in Afghanistan and deny safe havens to terrorists who threaten that goal,” according to a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

Ghani said the new U.S. strategy brought a positive change in the region and added, “all stakeholders should carryout their responsibilities sincerely,” according to the statement from the presidential palace. CEO Abdullah said “regional countries should acknowledge that the environment had changed.”

The U.S. and Afghanistan have long alleged that Afghan Taliban, particularly their deadliest arm the Haqqani network, has safe havens in Pakistan. But Islamabad claims it has cleared out all militant safe havens in previously lawless tribal areas bordering Afghanistan through a military operation.

Held in Pakistan

An American, Caitlan Coleman and her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle, who were kidnapped in Afghanistan five years ago, were recently rescued, along with their three children born in captivity, from the Haqqani network in Pakistan’s Kurram Agency bordering Afghanistan. The Pakistan military carried out the rescue operation on an intelligence tip from the United States.

Last week, CIA Director Mike Pompeo told a Washington based group, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the couple was held in Pakistan for the entire length of their captivity.

This contradicted earlier statements by Pakistan’s military and government that the couple was recently moved across the border from Afghanistan.

Secretary Tillerson’s Afghanistan trip was kept a secret due to security concerns, especially after an attack last month on Kabul airport during a visit by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis. Even many in the State Department press corps were expecting the visit to take place Thursday, on the way back from India.

On Tuesday, Tillerson is expected to visit Islamabad. Earlier reports from Washington have suggested he will bring a tough message for the South Asian country that American and Afghan officials believe it is not doing enough to force the Afghan Taliban to negotiate a peace settlement with the Afghan government.

Pakistan has acknowledged that it has some influence with the Taliban but says it does not control the movement or its leaders.

Pakistani leaders have also expressed their discomfort with the element of U.S. President Donald Trump’s new strategy that calls for rival India to play a bigger role in Afghanistan.

Relations between India and Pakistan, almost always on a rollercoaster in their 70-year history of independence from the British, seem to be in a downward spiral for the past two years. Both sides used harsh words in the recent U.N. General Assembly in New York, accusing each other of human rights abuses or supporting terrorism.

The tensions between the two countries may also be a topic of discussion when the Secretary arrives in New Delhi.

“The possibility of an India-Pakistan dialogue will be discussed, and Mr. Tillerson will also brief his Indian counterparts on the outcome of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group [U.S.-China-Afghanistan-Pakistan] meeting on talks with Taliban that took place in Oman on October 16,” a source familiar with the planning for the visit told Indian English language daily The Hindu.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read More Tillerson Makes Unannounced Visit to Afghanistan : http://ift.tt/2y0sCyc