WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States should consult the Taliban on any extension of a May 1 deadline for a full US troop pullout from Afghanistan and should not decide unilaterally, the Pakistani ambassador to the United States said on Friday. Khan told an online forum sponsored by the Stimson Center that US officials should consult the Taliban before deciding whether to maintain the last 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan. “That is where the process should start,” Khan said. The insurgents have sanctuaries in Pakistan, whose main military-run intelligence service gives them support, according to US and Afghan officials. “It’s really also a question of the credibility of the United States.”Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Nick Mamcfie

Source: Egypt Independent February 19, 2021 16:41 UTC