US stands by decision to engage with Taliban in Afghanistan

• The State Department argues that dialogue with the Taliban serves US interests and supports the Afghan people.
• Taliban’s control of Afghanistan post-COVID-19 has been criticized for repression.
• The department plans to discuss the Taliban’s commitments to counterterrorism and human rights.

The US State Department has defended its engagement with the Taliban to serve Washington’s interests in Afghanistan and the wider region. Vedant Patel, the department’s principal deputy spokesperson, informed reporters that talking with the group not only served US interests but also supported “the Afghan people.”

Following the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces and the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government in 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. They have faced significant international criticism for their repression of people, particularly their treatment of women and girls, restrictions on education, and reintroduction of violent punishment.

Some fear engaging with the Taliban could lend them legitimacy, but Patel said dialogue between the group and the US “allows us to speak directly with the Taliban, and it’s an opportunity for us to continue to press for the immediate and unconditional release of US nationals in Afghanistan, including those who we have determined to be wrongfully detained.”

“We’ll also use those opportunities to directly talk about the Taliban’s commitments to counterterrorism and of course, as always, human rights is also on the agenda,” he said.

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