US defence chief visits Kabul as pressure mounts for withdrawal

US DEFENCE Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in Kabul on his first trip to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief amid speculation about how long American troops will remain in the country.

State-owned Radio and Television Afghanistan and popular TOLO Television reported Mr Austin’s arrival from India.

He met with senior Afghan government officials, including President Ashraf Ghani.

According to The Washington Post, which was among the small group of US media travelling with him, Mr Austin said senior US officials want to see “a responsible end to this conflict” and “a transition to something else”.

“There’s always going to be concerns about things one way or the other, but I think there is a lot of energy focused on doing what is necessary to bring about a responsible end and a negotiated settlement to the war,” Mr Austin said.

President Joe Biden said last week in an ABC News interview that it will be “tough” for the US to meet a May 1 deadline to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

But he said that if the deadline, which is laid out in an agreement between former president Donald Trump’s administration and the Taliban, is extended, it would not be by a “lot longer”.

In response, the Taliban on Friday warned of consequences if the US does not meet the deadline. However, there are questions over whether the insurgents have kept their pledge to negotiate with the Afghan government.

Mr Austin met with Mr Ghani and according to a statement released by the presidential palace, both sides condemned the increase in violence in Afghanistan.

Washington is reviewing the agreement which Donald Trump’s previous administration signed with the Taliban last year and has been stepping up pressure on both sides in the protracted conflict to find a swift route to a peace agreement.