Washington, May 05: Top NATO official Mark Sedwill says Taliban are a force to be reckoned with, adding that a stable Afghanistan is the key to a safer Pakistan.
NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan, said on Tuesday that it is necessary to promote political and bilateral relations between both countries to maintain peace in the Pak-Afghan region.
The Taliban have dominated certain parts of Afghanistan, Sedwell said, arguing that a summer offensive would intensify gradually in Kandahar, which has been the main battleground since the US-led invasion back in 2001.
The escalating conflict in southern Afghanistan is taking an increasing toll on foreign forces and Afghan civilians. The US and NATO have already been under fire from both the Afghan government and the public for civilian casualties, the NATO official said.
Commenting on his two-day visit to Pakistan, he said, “I will call on the Pakistani government officials to discuss the political issues pertaining to NATO’s role in Afghanistan.”
He said he would also meet the Pakistani officials to find ways to achieve a stable and secure Afghanistan.
——-Agencies