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KABUL: As the United States is leaving Afghanistan troubled by war, Pentagon is calling for international pressure to reach a negotiated political resolution with the Taliban to end the long-lasting conflict in the country.
“The security situation in Afghanistan calls for international pressure to reach a political agreement to end this conflict so that the Afghan people have the government they deserve,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a tweet.
“The whole world could help keep up the pressure,” he said referring to a global pressure on the Afghan government.
Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said security situation in Afghanistan was worsening at epic level, amid Taliban claims that the group controls the vast majority of the country.
“What we have seen is that the security situation on the ground is deteriorating, we are seeing their development in regional centers across the country, and that is worrying,” Kirby told CNN.
Kirby’s remarks came after the Taliban claimed in Russia that they control over 85 percent of territory in Afghanistan.
But Kirby questioned the authenticity of Taliban’s claims about the extent of their control of territory. “Claiming sovereignty over a territory or part of a country does not mean that you can maintain it or maintain it over time,” he said.
“Over the past 20 years, we and our allies have helped build the capacity of the security forces, which is significant. They have an air force – a powerful air force – the Taliban have nothing. We estimate that they are relative on the battlefield,” he said. “They have more troops and more modern weapons for the Taliban.”
UN spokesman Stephen Dujarric, According to Sputnik, on Friday expressed concerns about security situation in Afghanistan in the wake of Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan-Iran-Tajikistan border crossings.
“We are deeply concerned about the military situation and the continuing war in Afghanistan,” he said.
These denunciations come as the Taliban have stepped up their attacks across Afghanistan. Dozens of areas and a number of Afghanistan’s main border crossings with Iran, Tajikistan and Pakistan are now under Taliban control.
