US doesn’t want Afghanistan to be ‘safe haven’ for terrorists

State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel has reiterated Washington’s stance on Afghan soil being used as a launchpad for terror attacks in Pakistan, stating that Washington doesn’t want Afghanistan to be a safe haven for terrorists.

Patel also acknowledged the security challenges that Pakistan is facing as a result of the terror threats from its Western neighbour, asserting that the US regularly engages with Islamabad on counterterrorism cooperation

The spokesperson’s statement came during a press briefing on Tuesday, responding to a question about the Taliban’s expansionism in the region.

“Well, look, we’ve been very clear about the fact that we do not want Afghanistan to be a — be or become a safe haven for terrorism. And when it comes to counterterrorism cooperation with our Pakistani partners, that’s something we engage with them on quite regularly in — as — including other important bilateral consultations with them as well,” Patel said.

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