NATO Chief States Mansour 'Stood In Way Of Talks'

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دوشنبه 3 جوزا 1395 ساعت 12:00 نوشته شده توسط TOLOnews.com

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NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said the Taliban's leader Mullah Mansour "stood in the way of talks" and blocked prospects for progress in Afghanistan.

In a statement issued by the organization, Stoltenberg said: "The govement of Afghanistan and the U.S govement have confirmed that an operation by U.S forces resulted in the death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

"Under Mullah Mansour's leadership, the Taliban have continued to conduct brutal attacks across Afghanistan, leading to the death and suffering of countless Afghan civilians and security forces, and posing a major daily threat to the forces of the US and other NATO Allies and partners.

"Mullah Mansur stood in the way of talks between the Afghan govement and the Taliban, blocking the prospects for progress towards peace and reconciliation for Afghanistan," he said.

He added: "NATO and our partners remain fully committed to our mission to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces, so that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorism. We support an Afghan-led and owned process for peace and reconciliation, and welcome all efforts in this regard. This is the time for Afghans to talk to Afghans, so that Afghanistan can develop in peace and security."

Stoltenberg's statement came a day after the Afghan govement confirmed Mansour had been killed in a U.S drone strike against a vehicle he had been traveling in, in Baluchistan province in Pakistan.

Mansour took over as leader of the Taliban in July last year after the announcement of the death two years earlier of the group's supreme leader Mullah Omar.

Stoltenberg's statement meanwhile came within an hour of U.S President Barack Obama confirming Mansour's death in Saturday's strike.

Obama, who was starting a three-day visit to Vietnam on Monday, said in his statement that Mansour's death removes the leader of an organization that has continued to plot and unleash attacks on U.S and coalition forces and that has waged war against the Afghan people.

He said the U.S will continue to take action against extremist networks that target the United States.

Obama shared the same sentiments as Stoltenberg and said Mansour had rejected efforts by the Afghan govement to engage in peace talks and end the violence.

According to Obama, the Taliban should now use this opportunity to join the Afghan govement's peace process.

Although Obama ordered Saturday's airstrike, it was only on Monday that he officially confirmed Mansour's death.

However, responding to the strike on its soil, Pakistan late Sunday blasted the U.S for its action saying it was in violation against its national sovereignty.

Pakistan's Dawn news reported that Sharif said a strong protest in this regard had been lodged with the U.S.

In a statement issued late Sunday by the Pakistan Foreign Office, Islamabad said: "While further investigations are being carried out, Pakistan wishes to once again state that the drone attack was a violation of its sovereignty, an issue which has been raised with the United States in the past as well."

In reference to a possible peaceful solution to the Afghan war, the statement pointed out that: "It may be recalled that the fifth meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) held on 18th May had reiterated that a politically negotiated settlement was the only viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan and called upon the Taliban to give up violence and join peace talks."

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