WASHINGTON — The U.S. remains committed to preventing Afghanistan from becoming a launchpad for terrorism and will press the Taliban to honor their counter-terrorism commitments to the international community, State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said.
In a briefing in Washington, Miller highlighted that under the president’s directive, the U.S. conducted an airstrike in Kabul, Afghanistan, that eliminated Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaida. He emphasized the ongoing efforts to counter ISIS and other terrorist threats to the United States and Western countries.
“The U.S. has clearly communicated to the Taliban their responsibility to deny safe haven to terrorist groups, including al-Qaida and ISIS-K,” Miller stated. He reaffirmed the vigilance of the U.S. against the evolving threat posed by these groups, mentioning the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and the C5+1 as key to intensifying efforts to monitor and prevent terrorist activities in the region.
Regarding the case of American detainee Ryan Corbett, Miller noted that U.S. officials have urged the Taliban for the immediate release of American detainees in Afghanistan, labeling the detentions as significant barriers to positive engagement between the U.S. and the Taliban.
“We are utilizing every possible means to secure the release of Ryan and other Americans wrongfully detained in Afghanistan,” Miller concluded.
