Russia and US call on Taliban to abandon spring offensive

The statement comes after an unusual meeting in the Russian capital.

Unusual because it is rare for the United States to send its negotiators to Russia to discuss a conflict in a third country.

But President Joe Biden is having a hard time. Under an agreement the United States made with the Taliban last year, all foreign forces will be out of Afghanistan on May 1.

That agreement presupposes that the Afghan government and the Taliban can reach a final peace agreement.

It is urgent. Envoys from Russia, the United States, China and Pakistan agree.

“We strongly urge the participants in the Afghan negotiations to initiate discussion on the fundamental issues to resolve the conflict immediately,” he said in a joint statement.

A ceasefire and a stable and inclusive government are specifically mentioned.

The four countries do not support the restoration of an Islamic emirate inspired by the Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001.

Negotiations on austerity

Currently, negotiations between the Taliban and the government are going very badly.

The conversations that began on September 12 last year are constantly interrupted.

They started again at the end of February, but the parties have not yet agreed on the agenda.

Government negotiators would like to talk about reducing violence with a view to a ceasefire. The Taliban are not interested in that.

Both sides have received a detailed draft of a peace agreement from the United States. But it contains points that neither the government nor the Taliban will accept.

The Taliban are stepping up

According to Reuters, the Taliban are recruiting soldiers and stockpiling food for a spring offensive.

“The violence from the Taliban has been much more intense than usual during the season,” General Scott Miller, NATO’s commander-in-chief in Afghanistan, told Reuters.

The Biden administration has not ruled out a US withdrawal. But yesterday, the US president said it would be “difficult” to withdraw forces before May 1.

In accordance with the agreement with the United States, the Taliban have refrained from attacking the country’s approximately 11,000 foreign troops.

But every day there are reports of attacks against the Afghan security forces and the civilian population.

Today, a military helicopter with nine people on board was shot down in Mardan Wardak province, southwest of the capital Kabul. All on board were killed, according to the Department of Defense.

This is why Russia cares

Russia is concerned about collapse and a more extensive civil war in the country if the United States and NATO withdraw.

It can open the door to ISIS and other Islamist movements linked to the former Soviet republics in Central Asia.

At the same time, the Russian leadership supports the withdrawal agreement.

President Putin’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, has continued to maintain close contact with the Taliban since he resigned as ambassador to the country.

The Taliban have full control in more than 18 percent of the districts and fight for control in 46 percent of the country’s districts.

They are on the offensive and, unlike ISIS and Al Qaeda, they do not intend to promote an Islamist revolution in other countries.

Contacts with the Taliban irritate the Kabul government. However, the leader of the Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, attended the meeting in Moscow.

The Kremlin leadership also does not mind playing an important role in international diplomacy.

Now the United States is having a hard time for domestic political reasons. This has at least led to all dealers agreeing to meet in Moscow, including American Zalmay Khalilzad.

If the United States withdraws, it could open closer cooperation with China and Pakistan in Afghanistan.

Neither of these countries wants to fill a possible military void after the United States.