Biden discusses counterterrorism, Afghanistan evacuation with G20 leaders

Washington [US] October 13 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Tuesday met virtually with the G20 leaders and discussed counterterrorism efforts, including threats emanating from the Islamic State-Khorasan terror group (ISIS-K).

“President Biden met virtually with G20 Leaders today to discuss Afghanistan,” the White House said in a statement. “The Leaders discussed the critical need to maintain a laser-focus on our enduring counterterrorism efforts, including against threats from ISIS-K, and ensuring safe passage for those foreign nationals and Afghan partners with documentation seeking to depart Afghanistan.”

The G20 leaders underscored their commitment to providing humanitarian relief directly to the Afghan people through independent international organizations and promoting human rights for women, girls, and minority groups in Afghanistan, the release said.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August and the US military ended its 20 years of military presence in the country. In the subsequent weeks, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund suspended financial aid to the country. Meanwhile, the United States also froze billions of dollars in assets belonging to the Afghan Central Bank.

Last week, the Taliban had urged the United States to unfreeze Afghanistan’s central bank reserves, during the first in-person meeting in Qatar. The two sides last Saturday held their first meeting in Doha to turn a “new page on their relationship”.

Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had said that they want to engage with the international community and will not be in favour of one country and against the other one. (ANI)