Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, chief peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah along with other leaders on Wednesday evening departed for a two-day visit to Washington where they would meet US President Joe Biden, other administration officials and US lawmakers, a release by the Afghan presidential office said.

Amrullah Saleh, Afghan first vice-president, is also accompanying Ghani during the trip. Chairman of the High Council of National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah will also meet Biden and other American officials to discuss “a wide range of issues pertaining to current and future relations, commitments and peace”, a release from the Abdullah office informed.

The meeting would be the first face-to-face meeting between the Afghan president and Biden since the latter assumed the highest office in the United States.  

While announcing the visit earlier, a statement from the White House said, "The United States is committed to supporting the Afghan people by providing diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian assistance to support the Afghan people, including Afghan women, girls, and minorities." 

The United States will remain "deeply engaged" with the government of Afghanistan to ensure the country never again becomes a "safe haven for terrorist groups who pose a threat to the US homeland.”

Ghani’s visit comes at a time when foreign forces are withdrawing from the country and the security situation is changing rapidly amid the Taliban’s continued offensive. 

(SAM)