Jens Stoltenberg: NATO has 'some leverage' with Taliban

NATO allies will use diplomatic tools and possibly sanctions to ensure that the Taliban "live up to their commitments," the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg told DW on Friday.

After the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, they pledged "amnesty" to Afghans who had worked with international forces and promised to allow their safe exit from the country.

"We expect the Taliban to allow free passage. We have some leverage. We will use that," Stoltenberg told DW's Teri Schultz in Brussels.

"Of course, we have less leverage now in Afghanistan than when we had a military mission. But we will use political tools, diplomatic tools, potential sanctions to do whatever we can to make sure that that people that Taliban live up to their commitments," he added.

For the short term, Stoltenberg said the alliance needs to establish "tactical operational contacts" with the Taliban "and continue to look into how we can help people to get into the airport."

Source: DW