Afghanistan crisis | US Evacuation
CIA head held meeting with Taliban as US grapples to finish evacuation by Aug 31: Report
The head of US Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, William Burns held a secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.
If confirmed, it would the highest level interaction between the Biden administration and the militant islamist group Taliban, reported AFP.
If the meeting was indeed held, it came in the wake of the difficulties faced in the urgent evacuation of US citizens, it added.
Baradar held the Taliban's political office in Qatar and is one of the top leaders in the terrorist group that seized power in Afghanistan while Burns is one of the most experienced diplomats in President Joe Biden's government.
According to AFP, the CIA said it "never discusses the director's travels" when the news agency tried to confirm if the meeting actually occurred.
The Washington Post, which cited anonymous US sources for the meeting, and the subject of the meeting is not known.
The report, however, stated that the meeting revolved around any delay in the deadline for the United States to finish evacuations at the airport of the Afghan capital, according to AFP.
Biden has set an August 31 deadline to finish the evacuation of US citizens from Afghanistan but is open to an extension if needed.
However, the Taliban has warned against the extension and said it will be viewed as "extending occupation".
"If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations -- the answer is no. Or there would be consequences," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Sky News.
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