August 31st deadline: Top US spy meets secretly with Taliban leader, Baradar

 

A top US spy, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Director, William Burns, has met secretly with Taliban leader, Abdul Ghani Baradar, in Kabul, Afghanistan, as the deadline for the US military to conclude its airlift approaches very fast.

 

The meeting is the highest-level diplomatic encounter since the militant group took over the Afghanistan government over two weeks ago.

 

The Washington Post quoted a government source as saying that Burns met the Taliban leader as the Biden administration makes efforts to evacuate Americans and other allies amid chaos at the airport in Kabul.

 

The report speculated that the likely subject of discussion was the impending 31 August deadline.

 

The meeting was held as the United Nations’ top human rights official has cried out over serious human rights violations committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

 

These human rights violations include summary executions of civilians, restrictions on women and limitations on protests against their rule.