KABUL (SW) – The commander of the United States Central Command, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, says the level of violence in Afghanistan remains too high and that the US is reviewing the Taliban actions as well as the peace agreement.
Speaking in an online conversation hosted by the Middle East Institute, McKenzie said: “The Taliban continue to resort to extreme violence and targeted killings across the country and frequent attacks on the Afghan forces. While they have mostly avoided attacks on US and coalition units, the level of violence is just simply too high and so that is an action that we look at.”
He said the US continues to watch Taliban actions and “I know the administration is taking a close look at the way forward in accordance with the February 2020 peace agreement.” He said that some key elements to that plan require the Taliban to take action, but “we all agree that the best path is going to be a negotiated political settlement among the Afghans.”
“No one debates that essential point. However, you have to take a conditions-based approach,” he said. He said that both sides “have got to show that they are willing to make the concessions that are going to be necessary to find a political path forward.”
Gen. McKenzie said that he remains concerned about the actions the Taliban have been taking up until this point. He added that the new policy is under review and “we will have a way forward in the near future.” He mentioned that since 9/11, the US strategic objective in Afghanistan remains to safeguard the homeland from attacks by terrorist groups, primarily al Qaeda and recently Daesh and preventing them from using Afghanistan as a base and safe haven.
Earlier this week, Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham has said that the American troops will not leave Afghanistan in May as proposed in the deal inked with the Taliban last February.
He said this in an interview with the CBS. “I’m very pleased with what the Biden administration is proposing for Afghanistan. We’re going to keep troops there on a conditions-based approach”, he said.
He charged the Taliban for ‘cheating’ and not complying. “And, so I like what Secretary Blinken and the Biden administration is doing”, he said referring to the ongoing review of the deal by the new US Administration. Senator Graham warned Daesh and al-Qaeda will come roaring back to Afghanistan and women will suffer greatly if the US forces left the country in May.
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