ANI
22 May 2020, 19:25 GMT+10
Washington DC [USA], May 22 (ANI): United States Department of Defense quarterly report to US Congress says that Pakistan continues to harbor the Taliban and associated militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Haqqani Network, which maintains the ability to conduct attacks against Afghan interests.
The report is the first one to be issued since the US and the Taliban signed an agreement on February 29 to facilitate the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. It comes at a time when the US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has called on India to hold direct talks with the TalibanPakistan continues to focus on countering Indian influence in Afghanistan and harbours the Taliban and groups such as the Haqqani Network, which have the ability to engage in violence on Afghan soil, according to a new Pentagon report.
The report by the inspector general of the US Department of Defense for the January-March quarter, issued on Monday, pointed to a continuation of Pakistan's efforts to achieve its strategic objectives in Afghanistan, including shutting out India from the war-torn country.
The report is the first one to be issued since the US and the Taliban signed an agreement on February 29 to facilitate the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
The deal has stalled due to differences between the Taliban and the Afghan government on prisoner releases and intra-Afghan dialogue.
There was no immediate response to the report from Indian officials.
"According to the DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency], Pakistan's strategic objectives in Afghanistan continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover of instability into its territory," the report said.
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) also reported to the inspector general that "Pakistan has encouraged the Afghan Taliban to participate in peace talks, but refrained from applying coercive pressure that would seriously threaten its relationship with the Afghan Taliban to dissuade the group from conducting further violence".
The DIA also told the inspector general that "Pakistan continues to harbour the Taliban and associated militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Haqqani Network, which maintains the ability to conduct attacks against Afghan interests".
Indian and Afghan officials have for long accused the Taliban, particularly its sword arm, the Haqqani Network, of having close links to the Pakistani military leadership. Most of the Taliban leadership and their families continue to be based in Pakistani cities such as Quetta.
The report comes at a time when the US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has called on India to hold direct talks with the Taliban. However, the Trump administration's outgoing pointperson for South Asia, Alice Wells, said on Wednesday that it was up to India to take a call on engaging with the Taliban.
In his message in the report, Sean O'Donnell, the acting inspector general of the US department of defense, said: "The United States and Taliban agreed to a [one]-week reduction in violence prior to the signing of the agreement, but Taliban violence during the quarter overall was high.
"In January and February, both the United States and the Taliban increased operations in order to influence negotiations. In addition, while the Taliban reduced attacks against US and coalition forces, it continued to attack the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, particularly after the signing of the agreement."The department of defense didn't provide information on Taliban-initiated attack for the January-March quarter, saying this was "sensitive" as it was part of ongoing deliberations on whether the Taliban is complying with the terms of the agreement with the US. (ANI)Get a daily dose of Afghanistan Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Afghanistan Sun.
More InformationIn spectacular fashion, Israel has upended peace talks and brought to a dramatic end the ceasefire that had paused 15-months of carnage...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Education is investigating 45 universities for possible violations of civil rights laws. ...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Gold prices have shattered the US$3,000 per ounce barrier for the first time, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The Trump administration is pressuring major food companies to remove artificial dyes from their products,...
BERLIN, Germany: German Lawmakers are debating whether to loosen the country's strict borrowing rules to fund military expansion. ...
The Voice of America may not live up to its ambitious name for much longer. Michael Abramowitz, the director of VOA, said in a Facebook...
Balochistan, a vast mineral-rich province in southwestern Pakistan, has been the scene of a simmering separatist insurgency for nearly...
BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A selection of the best press photos from Xinhua. A CERES-1 carrier rocket carrying eight satellites...
New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Nepal's Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba on Monday said that Nepal is focusing on a 'closer relationship'...
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union more than three decades ago, rival South Caucasus neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought...
Security experts are reportedly concerned that the scheme could expose Germany to an elevated terrorism threat ...
Security experts are reportedly concerned that the scheme could expose Germany to an elevated terrorism threat ...