Army chief Gen Bajwa lands in Kabul to meet top Afghan leadership

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday landed in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, to meet the country’s top leadership, the Afghan media reported.

Afghanistan’s National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib received the army chief, the country’s media said, adding the COAS is set to meet Afghanistan’s top officials as well.

The army chief will meet Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Afghan government sources told Reuters, at a time of heightened uncertainty for the region as violence rises while the United States withdraws troops.

Pakistani Army Chief of Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa was meeting Ghani as well as other Afghan leaders in Kabul, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak with media.

Pakistan is regarded as a key player in the Afghan peace process.

COAS Bajwa on Monday also met Britain’s Chief of Defence Staff General Nicholas Patrick Carter for talks on Afghan peacemaking, according to a statement from Pakistan’s military media wing.

The Taliban announced on Sunday night that they would commit to a three-day ceasefire for the Islamic religious holiday of Eid later this week.