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Taliban Attempts to Reassure Pompeo Amid Russian 'Bounty' Controversy

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - The Taliban said Tuesday its political chief in a video
   call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has reassured him the
   Islamist insurgency does not allow anyone to use Afghanistan to plot
   attacks against other nations.
   Pompeo's contact with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban's
   political office in Qatar, came as President Donald Trump faces growing
   pressure from U.S. lawmakers to investigate news reports that Russia
   had offered bounties to Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers in
   Afghanistan.
   "It is not true. We have already rejected that," Taliban political
   spokesman Suhail Shaheen told VOA from the Qatari capital of Doha when
   asked whether Pompeo raised the issue of alleged Russia-Taliban
   collaboration.
   "Baradar once again reiterated that the Taliban are committed not to
   allow anyone to use Afghan soil (to launch attacks) against any
   country," Shaheen said.

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