WASHINGTON - The day Kabul was rocked by a devastating terrorist attack, the White House urged the Taliban to sit across the negotiating table with the Afghan government for the sake of peace in Afghanistan.
“We call on the Taliban to pursue a pathway of peace instead of continuing a military campaign responsible for the senseless deaths of Afghan civilians,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Tuesday.
The United States remained a steadfast partner with Afghan security forces in working to promote peace and stability in the region and to counter the threat of terrorism, he said.
Washington strongly condemned the cowardly attack on Afghan forces and civilians in Kabul that killed dozens and wounded hundreds. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and their loved ones.”
The US remained committed to supporting the Afghan people and their government, promised Earnest, who did not have any idea as to what impact the attack would have on America’s military posture.
“This will be among the important policy decisions that the incoming president will have to make,” Earnest added.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said the attack “certainly doesn’t do anything to advance” the reconciliation process. “But it doesn’t mean that the effort to try to get it restarted is dead or that President (Ashraf) Ghani should just give up and quit trying,” he noted. (Pajhwok)