US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken wanted to replace special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for peace talks and Afghanistan reconciliation hours before the Taliban’s forced takeover in Kabul, sources privy to the conversation have revealed to CNN-News18 on the condition of anonymity. This was stated in the last phone call between Blinken and former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on August 14.
“In the last call with President Ghani, Blinken told him that Salman Ahmed was to lead the peace efforts. There was no mention of Zalmay Khalilzad,” the source told CNN-News18. The plan, however, was derailed after the Taliban decided to enter Kabul and stage a coup that led to Ghani’s escape to “prevent mass bloodshed and killings” in the Afghan capital.
Salman Ahmed is a Pakistani-American who is currently the Director of Policy Planning in the Biden Administration advising on national security and foreign policy aspects at the US State Department. Ahmed was even dispatched to Doha…