US Says Afghan Government Ties Depend On "Actions Of Taliban"

The United States said Monday that it would only recognize a Taliban government in Afghanistan if it respects the rights of women and shuns extremist movements such as Al-Qaeda.

"Ultimately when it comes to our posture towards any future government in Afghanistan, it will depend upon the actions of that government. It will depend upon the actions of the Taliban," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters when asked about recognition.

"A future Afghan government that upholds the basic rights of its people, that doesn't harbor terrorists and that protects the basic rights of its people including the basic fundamental rights of half of its population -- its women and girls -- that is a government we would be able to work with."

He said that the US negotiator on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, remained in the Taliban's diplomatic base of Qatar and that US officials have been in talks with the insurgents in the Gulf state.

The Taliban on Sunday took over Kabul with surprising ease, overthrowing a government backed by a two-decade military involvement that President Joe Biden has ended.

The Taliban imposed draconian rules on women during its 1996-2001 rule ended by a US invasion including banning education for girls.

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