With the peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban now over following an attack that killed a U.S. soldier, the American military said they expect to increase operations against the terror group.
Sgt. 1st Class Elis Barreto Ortiz, 34, of Puerto Rico, was killed when a car bomb exploded at a checkpoint near NATO headquarters and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, last week. Ortiz was a maintenance control sergeant and was attached to the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, told reporters Monday the Taliban overplayed its hand by carrying out a series of high-profile attacks, according to Reuters.
“We’re certainly not going to sit still and let them carry out some self-described race to victory. That’s not going to happen,” McKenzie said. Regarding whether the operations will entail using airstrikes and U.S. and Afghan commandos, McKenzie said, “I think we’re talking a total spectrum. And, again, whatever targets are available, whatever targets can be lawfully and ethically struck, I think we’re going to pursue those targets.”
There has already been a 57% increase in airstrikes from the U.S. and the Afghanistan air forces between May 10 and Aug. 8, compared to the same time last year.
President Trump revealed Saturday there was supposed to be a secret meeting at Camp David with a Taliban delegation just days before the anniversary of 9/11. Trump said Monday the talks are now “dead.”
“We had a meeting scheduled. It was my idea and it was my idea to terminate it. I didn’t discuss it with anybody else. When I heard, very simply, that they killed one of our soldiers and 12 other innocent people, I said there’s no way I’m meeting on that basis. There’s no way I’m meeting. They did a mistake,” he said.
