According to US officials familiar with the matter, President Joe Biden dispatched CIA Director William J. Burns to Kabul, Afghanistan, to secretly meet with the de facto Taliban leader.
Monday’s meeting with Abdul Ghani Baradar marked the highest level of face-to-face confrontation between the Taliban and the Biden administration since the militants occupied the Afghan capital.This also marks Biden’s latest move since responding to criticism His handling of the situation in Afghanistan.
The CIA has not yet commented on the Taliban meeting.
Direct high-level communication first reported on Tuesday Washington post, Probably related to the upcoming August 31 deadline, the U.S. military will complete airlifts to U.S. citizens and Afghan allies.
As the deadline approaches, American allies have been pushing the Biden administration to stay in Afghanistan after August, as thousands of American citizens and Afghan allies continue to flee what Biden said “One of the largest and most difficult air transport in history.”
However, the new ruler Afghanistan Tuesday They warned that they would not accept an extension of the imminent evacuation deadline.
Prior to the disclosure of the secret meeting, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Monday that “discussions with the Taliban have always been operational and tactical,” focusing mainly on “short-term actions and short-term goals.”
According to CNNThroughout the evacuation process, the Biden administration has been in regular contact with Taliban officials, whether on the ground in Afghanistan or in Doha, Qatar. The Pentagon said it maintains contact with the Taliban at Kabul Airport every day.
In November, Baradal met with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Qatar.
Burns has served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency since March 19. In mid-April, he told the Senate Intelligence Committee that “once the U.S. and coalition forces withdraw from Afghanistan, there will be significant risks,” but he added that the United States will retain “a set of capabilities.”
