Full withdrawal of U.S. troops by May 1 still under consideration.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken submitted a plan to accelerate talks with the Taliban over peace in Afghanistan, while the administration is still considering a troop withdrawal. President Trump had set a date for the full withdrawal of U.S. troops by May 1.
In a letter to the president of Afghanistan, Secretary Blinken suggested a United Nations-facilitated conference with foreign ministers and envoys from the U.S., Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and Iran to “discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan.” He also called for a 90-day reduction in violence in Afghanistan to prevent a “spring offensive by the Taliban.”
According to the secretary’s letter, the U.S. will ask Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of “both sides in the coming weeks to finalize a peace agreement.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For administration efforts to secure a broad-based discussion of peace in Afghanistan.
- For Secretary Blinken and other foreign ministers reevaluating the peace agreement from last year that called for U.S. troop withdrawal by May 1.
- For American troops remaining in Afghanistan, their safety, and potential return to the U.S.
Sources: Axios, Business Insider
