Afghanistan wants more US help in fight against Taliban, IS

“We stand confident that the new U.S. administration under President Trump will remain strategically engaged and continue its support,” Rabbani said at the Atlantic Council think-tank ahead of a gathering in Washington of the U.S.-led coalition against IS. He described Nicholson’s call as “an appropriate decision considering the prevailing security challenges still facing us.”

In a sign of how major powers are vying for influence in the region, Rabbani said Russia is planning a 12-nation conference on Afghanistan. The former Soviet Union engaged in a disastrous decade-long occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Rabbani said the U.S. had been invited but didn’t know if it would attend. The State Department said it hasn’t yet decided on its participation.

Rabbani said the discussions would follow up on six-nation talks held in mid-February involving China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Iran. He said he did not think the Taliban would be invited.

In congressional testimony last month, Nicholson said Russia has been publicly legitimizing the Taliban and seeking to undermine the United States and NATO in Afghanistan.

Rabbani said Russia and Iran have both told Kabul they have been in contact with the Taliban to encourage a return to the negotiating table. They deny providing the Taliban material support.

Rabbani said terrorism and extremism must be combated through co-operation among governments. He said the Taliban wouldn’t seek peace unless Pakistan cracked down on “terrorist safe havens” on its soil — a long-running source of bitterness between the neighbouring countries.

Matthew Pennington, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Afghanistan wants more US help in fight against Taliban, IS

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