US to encourage Taliban peace talks despite terror attacks

Insisting that the peace talks must continue in Afghanistan, the US has said that the process should go forward despite the terror attacks.  The US acknowledged that Afghanistan remains a “dangerous place and  stressed that Taliban’s continued terror attacks underscore the importance of the peace talks to get to a “productive conclusion”.  “We continue to encourage that process to move forward,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said on February 1.  “It is absolutely true that Afghanistan remains a dangerous place; there’s no question about that. Today’s attack underscores that,” Mr Kirby said in  reference to the latest suicide attack in Kabul that killed around 20 people. Speaking about the reconciliation process, the US said it actually underscores all the more the importance of getting reconciliation talks going and getting to a useful conclusion there. Focusing on the international mission in Afghanistan, Mr Kirby said, “it also underscores the importance of the continued international mission in Afghanistan to continue to improve the capability, confidence and competence of Afghan National Security Forces.”  “The Afghan National Security Forces continue to do an admirable job inside the country and even when an attack like today happens, responding effectively and efficiently as best they can, he added.” In the wake of the suicide attacks, the US underlined that it is a reminder of how important it is for everybody to see these reconciliation talks continue.  Countering allegations that Taliban has no interest in the peace process, Mr Kirby said they are not a monolithic organisation the way that some people want to paint them as.  “We still think that that’s the way forward. We still think that there’s room to make that happen. Today’s attack is just that much more of a reminder that that’s really the answer here, and we’re going to continue to encourage that progress,” he said.