Moscow: A Taliban negotiator attending an Afghanistan peace conference in Moscow said on Friday it was time for U.S. troops to leave the country.
Suhail Shaheen called on the Americans to comply with an agreed May 1 deadline for their final withdrawal from Afghanistan, a date fixed under a year-old agreement between the Trump administration and the Taliban.
Read:| Moscow holds "Troika" meeting on peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, India not invited
"They should go," Shaheen said, insisting that not leaving at the end of April would be a violation of the agreement.
Any such violation "will have a reaction, but we hope that this should not happen," he added.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks masterminded by al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden who was sheltered by the Taliban.
The invasion toppled the Taliban regime but the 20-year-war has made Afghanistan America's longest conflict.
Read:| Russia walks the talk, keeps India out of March 18 Afghan talks
The one-day Russian gathering on Friday brought together Afghan government representatives, the Taliban and international observers in a bid to help jump-start the country's stalled peace process.
Moscow’s attempt at mediation comes as talks in Qatar between the government and the Taliban have stalled.
Washington and Kabul have been pressing for a cease-fire while the Taliban say they will negotiate it as part of peace talks with the Afghan government.
AP
Read:| Working with int'l community to strengthen Afghan peace process: Biden Administration
