Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

International

Biden assures Afghan president of continued US support: White House

US President Joe Biden assures President Ashraf Ghani of US diplomatic and humanitarian support.
In a phone call, Biden and Ghani agree Taliban’s current offensive is in direct contradiction to claim to support a negotiated settlement of conflict, says White House statement.
Biden tells Ghani US will remain engaged diplomatically “in support of a durable and just political settlement,” says White House.

WASHINGTON: With the last U.S. forces on the way out of Afghanistan, U.S. President Joe Biden assured President Ashraf Ghani of U.S. diplomatic and humanitarian support on Friday as Taliban advances piled pressure on the U.S.-backed government in Kabul.

In a phone call, Biden and Ghani “agreed that the Taliban’s current offensive is in direct contradiction to the movement’s claim to support a negotiated settlement of the conflict,” a White House statement said.

Biden has set a formal end to the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan for Aug. 31 as he looks to disengage from a conflict that started after al Qaeda attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

Violence has risen sharply since the withdrawal plan was announced in April, with the Taliban launching offensives, taking districts and important border crossings, and encircling or closing in on several provincial capitals.

The Taliban control about half of Afghanistan’s district centers, the senior U.S. general said this week, indicating a rapidly deteriorating security situation.

Biden told Ghani the United States would remain engaged diplomatically “in support of a durable and just political settlement,” the White House said.

The United States is also preparing to begin evacuating thousands of Afghan applicants for special immigration visas (SIVs) who risk retaliation from Taliban insurgents because they worked for the U.S. government.

Biden on Friday authorized up to $100 million from an emergency fund to meet “unexpected urgent” refugee needs stemming from the situation, the White House said.

Biden also authorized the release of $200 million in services and articles from the inventories of U.S. government agencies to meet the same needs, it said.

The State Department condemned the Taliban’s targeted attacks on former interpreters and other Afghans as well as the destruction of infrastructure.

“We vehemently condemn the targeted attacks, the destruction of vital infrastructure, as well as other attacks against the people of Afghanistan,” spokeswoman Jalina Porter said at a regular news briefing.

Educated Afghans – especially women and girls who were barred from school and most work under Taliban rule – have voiced alarm at the insurgents rapid advance, as have members of ethnic and sectarian minorities persecuted under the Taliban’s severe interpretation of Sunni Islam.

The first batch of Afghan evacuees and their families is expected to be flown before the end of the month to Fort Lee, a U.S. military base in Virginia, where they will wait for the final processing of their visa applications.

About 2,500 Afghans could be brought to the facility, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Richmond, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Avatar photo

Media person and communication expert for over 25 years. Worked with Dow Jones News, World Bank, CNBC Pakistan, Aaj TV, ARY TV, Abbtakk TV, Business Recorder, Pakistan Observer, Online News Network, TTI Magazine and other local and world Publications.

Articles

Daesh gunmen killed at least 143 Russians in an attack on a concert mall in Moscow and injured dozens of others. The callous attack...

Latest Updates

The Russia’s Interior Ministry stated on Saturday that the four suspected gunmen arrested after Friday night's deadly attack were foreigners, with some media outlets...

Entertainment

Sahiba's father, Inam Rabbani, expressed his immense happiness at finally reuniting with his daughter after an astonishing 42 years of separation.

National

Islamabad – President Asif Ali Zardari bestowed Pakistan’s supreme civilian honor, “Nishan-e-Pakistan,” upon Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, on...