National Security adviser Ajit Doval met with William Burns, the chief of the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in New Delhi on Tuesday, reports said. The details of the meet have not been officially disclosed, but it was likely focused on security concerns amid the Taliban government formation in Afghanistan. The terror group had announced leaders of their interim government last night.
The meeting came on a day when the Taliban announced the names of those who will be part of the new Cabinet in the Afghanistan government. While Mohammad Hasan Akhund will lead the new ‘acting’ Taliban government, Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar will be deputy leader. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani Network – designated as a terrorist organisation by the US – will be the new interior minister.
Burns arrived in the capital city on Tuesday and will leave for Pakistan on Wednesday, according to reports. Notably, he had last month visited Afghanistan to meet the Taliban leadership, including deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Washington Post reported. At that time, the US was carrying out a pullout of its troops, citizens, and Afghan allies.
India and the US have maintained a similar stand on the Afghanistan issue, evacuating their embassy staff members and citizens amid the Taliban takeover. However, countries like Russia and Pakistan maintained diplomatic presence there. India says it expects the Taliban not to allow terror groups to target India, especially the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.