Leading a delegation: McCain in Kabul

“The US forces and the country will continue to support the Afghans until the end of war,” says senator

ISLAMABAD: Senator John McCain, Chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, told the Afghan Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah on Monday that he has pushed the Pakistani leaders to take practical steps against Haqqani Network that the US and Afghan blame for deadliest attacks in Afghanistan.

McCain, leading a delegation of the senate, arrived in Kabul late Sunday after wrapping up talks with civil and military leaders in Pakistan regarding security issues.

Dr Addullah’s office said that the chief executive discussed Afghan-US and Afghan-Pakistan relations along with other regional issues.

“The US forces and the country will continue to support the Afghans until the end of war,” senator McCain was quoted as saying.

Dr Abdullah thanked Washington for the support and said that Afghanistan has made substantial progress but also faces challenges. He told the US senators that the American and Afghan forces were the target of terrorism having “roots abroad” and this problem could be resolved when the roots are ended.

He said that Afghanistan wants good relations with its neighbours, but such relationship should be based on mutual respect.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2016.