US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to travel to Qatar, Pak and Afghanistan

Special US Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will travel to Doha, Islamabad and Kabul as part of his relentless efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan, the State Department has said. The top American diplomat left Washington DC for the region on Friday.

"The primary focus of Ambassador Khalilzad's trip is to obtain agreement between the Afghan parties on the practical next steps necessary for a smooth start to intra-Afghan negotiations," an official statement said. In addition, building on his last visit, he will review with the parties the implementation of all commitments in the US-Taliban Agreement and the US-Afghanistan Joint Declaration, specifically reducing violence and prisoner releases, the State Department said without divulging further details.

The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001. India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan controlled.

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