Taliban’s momentum beginning to slow down: Sullivan

AVA- Despite recent setbacks stemming from horrific acts of violence, the president’s South Asia strategy is showing some signs of progress,” Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a Congressional hearing. 

On the battlefield, the Taliban’s momentum had begun to slow, he said, adding no major population centre had fallen to the militants since their temporary occupation of Kunduz City in 2015.

Afghan forces were currently on the offensive, he asserted, saying allies and NATO partners -- contributing more than 6,500 troops -- were actively supporting the vision for a stable Afghanistan and a more prosperous South Asia.

Sullivan, who just returned from a trip to Afghanistan, said: “Every leader reiterated their support for our strategy, and their commitment to creating the conditions that will bring the Taliban to the negotiating table and establish an environment for a sustained peace.”

These leaders, he said, also reaffirmed their support for the Afghanistan Compact -- a series of reform benchmarks established by the Afghans --to implement reforms in areas of security, governance, rule of law, economic development, and reconciliation.

“President Ghani and I co-chaired an executive committee meeting of the Compact, where we reviewed and highlighted progress on those benchmarks,” Sullivan added.

Referring to the discussions he had with Afghan leaders on elections, Sullivan said it was vital that parliamentary and presidential polls would take place this year and next respectively. The elections reflect the will of the Afghan people and create an inclusive government. 

In addition to shifting to a conditions-based approach instead of one predicated on arbitrary timelines, the South Asia strategy marks a change from the status quo in US-Pakistan relations, according to the deputy secretary.

“We intend to hold Pakistan accountable for its failure to deny sanctuary to militant proxies. We also encourage restraint in Pakistan’s military nuclear and missile programs, and seek continued, closer alignment of Pakistan’s nonproliferation policies with our own,” he said.

The United States, he said, shared with Pakistan its South Asia strategy in detail and had made its expectations clear. Pakistan must take decisive action against all militant and terrorist groups based there, he stressed.

In January, the US president suspended security assistance to the Pakistani military, with limited exceptions for programs that directly support US national security interests on a case-by-case basis.

“We may consider lifting the suspension when we see decisive and sustained actions to address our concerns, including targeting all terrorist groups operating within its territory, without distinction,” Sullivan said.