September 03, 2019 Radio Free Afghanistan
KABUL — The Taliban took credit for killing at least 16 civilians
involving a car bombing and gunmen in Kabul on September 2 as the
Afghan-based militant group agreed “in principle” to a deal to end the
nearly 18-year conflict, the longest war in which the United States has
been embroiled.
Interior Ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi said the explosion occurred in
a large compound of the Afghan capital where foreign organizations and
aid agencies are based, and which is outside the heavily fortified Green
Zone.
At least 119 were wounded “in last night’s attack….The explosion was
caused by a tractor filled with explosives,” Rahimi said on September 3.
The attack came as U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul to discuss with Afghan officials the draft peace deal.
In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL,
Khalilzad said the Taliban has agreed “in principle” that any Afghan
territory it controls in the future will not be used as a sanctuary for
terrorists to launch attacks against the United States and its allies.
He also said that U.S. and Taliban negotiators had also agreed on the
gradual “reduction and withdrawal” of Western forces from Afghanistan.
“That would depend on the situation on the ground,” the envoy said.
However, he pointed out that the agreement, reached after nine rounds of
U.S.-Taliban negotiations in Qatar, wasn’t final until U.S. President
Donald Trump agreed to it.
Khalilzad said he “will have more talks” with Afghan President Ashraf
Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and other high-ranking
government officials to discuss the draft agreement.
Presidential spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi told reporters in Kabul the
government will need to “study and assess” details of the draft deal.
Khalilzad arrived in the Afghan capital on September 1 from Qatar, after
declaring that U.S. and Taliban negotiators were “at the threshold” of a
deal following the ninth round of talks.
The envoy said Washington hopes that a final U.S.-Taliban agreement
would pave the way for “inter-Afghan dialogue, which is an historic and
golden chance to end the 40-year-old war in Afghanistan.”
With reporting by Reuters, TOLOnews, AFP, AP, and dpa