US envoy Khalilzad meets Afghan President Ghani in Qatar, says violence 'too high'

The United States Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad on October 6 said that violence in Afghanistan is "too high" despite the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban. Khalilzad said that Washington is pressing for a significant reduction in violence that he hoped will lead to a "permanent" and "comprehensive" ceasefire. 

Khalilzad, along with NATO Commander in Afganistan, General Austin Scott Miller met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Doha, Qatar, where the latter has travelled for a bilateral meeting. 

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Peace negotiations discussed

The two discussed the Afghanistan peace negotiations with Ashraf Ghani and affirmed the ongoing US support to the country. Khalilzad took to Twitter and in a series of tweets informed that he has told the President Afghans should not let the opportunity for peace slip away. Khalilzad said that Ashraf Ghani assured him that the negotiators of the Islamic Republic will receive support as long as it takes for an agreement to reach. 

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Khalilzad further urged neighbouring countries of Afghanistan to support an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned process and said that the US stands ready to support and assist in the peace process. The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with a team of Afghan government negotiators at the opening ceremony of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Qatar last month. 

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The peace talks between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban were delayed over the issue concerning the release of jailed fighters of the Islamist group, that had ruled the country before the United States' invasion in 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The United States and the Taliban in a historic meet this February had signed a peace agreement to end the 19-year-long war in the Islamic Republic. 

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