CIA director holds secret meeting with Taliban leader, report says

Burns reportedly met Abdul Ghani Bardar, who is believed to be the leader of Taliban, in secrecy in Kabul

CIA director William Burns held a secret meeting with the Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul on Monday, The Washington Post has reported, citing unnamed US officials.

There has been no official statement from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) but, if the meeting is confirmed, Mr Burns would be the most senior US official to have had a meeting with the Taliban since it seized power in Afghanistan last week.

The reports of the meeting come amid a frantic evacuation process in Kabul where the US and allied forces continue to rescue hundreds of people each day. But with the 31 August deadline for withdrawal nearing, discussions about a possible extension are underway. There is also pressure from other forces, including the UK and France, who have said they want the US military to continue evacuation beyond the deadline so more people can be rescued.

The evacuation efforts have focused on bringing citizens of these countries back first, but there’s also increasing pressure to evacuate those who worked for the US and other western forces, since they are at the greatest threat of persecution at the hands of the Taliban.

The Taliban had earlier threatened “consequences” if the US didn’t completely withdraw from Afghanistan, including leaving the Kabul airport, which is currently the only site under the control of the American military and being used for evacuation. The militant Islamist group, however, did not specify what those consequences would be.

The Biden administration’s move of sending their senior-most secret services officer to negotiate with the Taliban will likely be seen as recognition of the militant group’s authority over Afghanistan.

Mr Burns, a celebrated officer who played a crucial role in locating Osama bin Laden in 2011, was chosen as the new director-general of the CIA in March and has more than 30 years of experience at the State Department, including as an ambassador to Jordan and Russia.

The de facto leader of the Taliban who reportedly met with Mr Burns, Abdul Ghani Bardar, was once arrested by the CIA 11 years ago and spent eight years in jail.