Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said that “we are drifting into one of the most dangerous periods in human history."
Gen. Richard Clarke echoed the sentiments of other military leaders, saying it’s clear that the Taliban has not upheld its commitment to reduce violence in Afghanistan.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived Sunday in Kabul on his first trip to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, amid swirling questions about how long American troops will remain in the country.
The one-day gathering was the first of three planned international conferences ahead of a May 1 deadline for the final withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the country.
Afghanistan’s interior minister said Saturday that Afghan security forces can hold their ground even if U.S. troops withdraw, challenging a warning from the United States predicting a withdrawal would yield quick territorial gains to the Taliban.
The document outlines the terms of a cease-fire and its enforcement, calls for the protection of the rights of women, children and minorities and envisions a truth and reconciliation commission aimed at healing 42 years of conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also made clear in a letter to Afghanistan's president that the Biden administration continues to consider a “full withdrawal” of the roughly 2,500 U.S. forces in the country by the May 1 deadline negotiated by Trump administration.