UN Chief Informed by Khalilzad on State of US-Taliban Deal - Spokesman
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been kept informed by US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on the developments of the latest round of the US-Taliban peace negotiations, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Tuesday
The ninth round of peace talks between the United States and the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha finished on Sunday. On Monday, Khalilzad said an agreement had been struck wherein the United States would withdraw some 5,000 troops within the next 135 days and close a number of bases.
"We have been kept updated by the US Special Envoy on the state of the discussions," Dujarric said.
Just hours after Khalilzad� shared the details of the new deal with Afghan government officials, a huge explosion rocked Kabul. The attack, which the Taliban have taken responsibility for, left 16 dead and 119 injured.
Dujarric added that the United Nations strongly condemns the recent attack that took place in the capital of Kabul.
The parties were negotiating a deal that would entail the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the Taliban's promise to cut ties to terrorist organizations and a guarantee that the country would not be used as a safe haven for terrorists. These negotiations have excluded the Afghan government since the Taliban consider it a US puppet.