Kabul- Afghanistan (PMG):

Report: Shershah Nawabi

In Recent months Taliban has accelerated their war against Afghan security forces and also civilians. But also they have gained some achievements in peace talks with Trump Administration. Recently Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary general has stated that the main reason for Taliban peace talks with us is NATO pressures on them. NATO SG says: “We are in Afghanistan to send a clear message to the Taliban that they will not win on the battlefield. They have to sit down at the negotiating table.  And I really believe that what we see now is a result of the efforts of #NATO Allies over the years – both our military presence, our train, advice and assist mission but also our financial support to the Afghan Army and Security Force and that has created the conditions for the peace efforts we now see.”

Mr. Stoltenberg once again stated that we will support the Afghan Security and Defense forces he states: “then, of course, depending on the outcome of these talks, that will then create the basis for any decisions about the future presence. But it’s too early to pre-empt the outcome of the talks, simply because they have not been finalized. There is still much to be done before we have a peace deal in place.”

NATO SG, also highlights: “We will be in Afghanistan and we continue to provide support to Afghanistan – both train, advise and assist and also continue to provide financial support. So we provide trainers but also financial support.  We made a new pledge to continue providing [financial] support unit 2024 at the NATO summit in July.”

Stoltenberg says decisions on troop levels, of course, depend on the outcome of the negotiations. He believes: “We are extremely focused on that we have to make sure that we maintain the gains we have made. We are in Afghanistan to prevent Afghanistan from ever again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists, and of course, that is one of the key issues which is now negotiated and addressed in the talks with the Taliban.”

According to Jens Stoltenberg, their future force level of NATO troops is very much of course dependent on the outcome of those talks. He also emphasized that the current talks between Taliban and US Administration are coordinated with the NATO and they are working closely with US officials to solve the Afghan crisis by a peace deal taking place.