WASHINGTON: The United States has stopped publicising body counts of Taliban and IS fighters, a decision indicative of major change in policy of forcing the Taliban to participate in the US-backed peace process.

Diplomatic sources in Washington point out that decision to discontinue highlighting enemy deaths in Afghanistan coincides with renewed efforts to encourage direct talks between US and Taliban officials.

In July, US diplomats held face-to-face talks with Taliban officials in Qatar, the first in many years. The New York Times described the meeting as “a reversal of a longstanding US policy” of insisting that Afghan government officials must participate in any talks with the Taliban.

Last week, a Taliban delegation arrived in Dubai for talks with Red Cross officials for securing the release of their prisoners in Afghan and US custody, apparently with US endorsement. This is one of key Taliban demands for joining the Afghan peace process. Diplomatic sources in Washington say that the Taliban are likely to hold more talks with US officials in UAE.

Sources say Russia is also set on hosting similar talks between Afghan government and Taliban representatives in Moscow later this month, forcing Washington to hasten its efforts for expediting the peace process.

The Trump administration as part of its new Afghanistan strategy had been highlighting enemy body counts, announcing deaths or injured of more than 2,500 enemy fighters this year. The statistics were posted online and publicised through Facebook and Twitter.

But this week, various media outlets noticed that such press releases stop­ped. When the Times contacted the US Department of Defence, it received a letter earlier this week, confirming that death counts had stopped.

“This command is going to refrain from publishing this type of information unless absolutely necessary to provide context in extenuating circumstances,” Col. David M. Butler, a spokesman for the American-led mission in Afghanistan, wrote in the letter. “We realise strikes, body counts and leaders removed from the battlefield are not decisive on their own.”

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2018