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Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns PHOTO: Reuters
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US President Joe Biden sent the CIA chief to meet with the Taliban leader yesterday – the highest-level diplomatic meeting between the two countries since the rebels seized the Afghan capital, Reuters sources in the United States said on condition of anonymity.
CIA Director William Burns met with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul, a US official and another well-informed source told Reuters.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of the evacuation from Kabul and the chaos at the airport in the Afghan capital on the eve of the August 31 evacuation deadline.
Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar
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The Washington Post was the first to report on the meeting, again citing US sources who requested anonymity.
A CIA spokesman said he would not comment. There is no comment from the White House either.
Last week, Biden said U.S. troops could remain in Afghanistan beyond the deadline next week to complete the evacuation of U.S. citizens.
Taliban sources told Reuters yesterday that they would not extend the deadline for Western forces to leave.
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