US officials are scrambling to defuse a diplomatic crisis after President Donald Trump's remarks that he could win the Afghan War in just 10 days by wiping out the country.

The talks that US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, held with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul on Tuesday were tense, said a US media report. Khalilzad is set to resume talks with the Taliban in a bid to clinch a deal by September - a priority for the Trump presidency going into an election year.

President Ghani's government has already asked Washington to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-government-seeks-clarification-of-donald-trumps-remarks-on-wiping-out-afghanistan-237909">clarify Trump's remarks</a>. A line from the statement released by the president's house in Kabul read, "The Afghan nation has not and will never allow any foreign power to determine its fate."

Incidentally, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/you-cant-wipe-roof-of-the-world-hamid-karzai-slams-trumps-statement-on-afghanistan-238078">Trump's remarks</a> drew a strong reaction from the Taliban too which continues to oppose direct talks with President Ghani's government. "Trump's policy that he does not want to play the role of a police officer in Afghanistan and that this war against an entire nation cannot be won so long as they are alive is something positive. However, his claim that he can wipe out Afghanistan, kill 10 million Afghans and win this war through such a method is irresponsible and we condemn it in the strongest terms," a Taliban spokesperson said.

Watch: Trump caught lying again

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Trump's other remark on Kashmir, made during the same meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, also caused a diplomatic flutter and miffed New Delhi. While offering to mediate in the Kashmir issue, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a similar appeal when he met him.

India was quick to dismiss that claim. India's Ministry of External Affairs said no such request was ever made by PM Modi and that Kashmir remains a bilateral issue.

New Delhi believes that Trump is in a hurry to pull out US troops from Afghanistan and call an end to the Afghan War. And he wants to keep Pakistan in good humour so that it can make the Taliban to agree to a peace deal.

Washington knows only too well the linkages that exist between the Pakistani state and the Taliban.

The only time a US government official came close to answering a question about Trump's remarks about PM Modi and Kashmir was during a media interaction with the US President's chief economic advisor Larry Kudlow. A journalist asked Kudlow whether the president made up his remarks.

"The President does not make anything up. That's a very rude question in my opinion. I am going to stay out of that. It's outside of my lane. It's for Mr (US National Security Adviser John) Bolton, Mr (US Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo and the President, so I am not going to comment on that. President does not make things up," said Kudlow.

But a former US diplomat Nicholas Burns, who played a key role in the India-US civil nuclear deal during the George Bush government, said that it is embarrassing for a US President to "make things up".

US officials are scrambling to defuse a diplomatic crisis after President Donald Trump's remarks that he could win the Afghan War in just 10 days by wiping out the country.

US officials are scrambling to defuse a diplomatic crisis after President Donald Trump's remarks that he could win the Afghan War in just 10 days by wiping out the country. The talks that US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, held with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul on Tuesday were tense, said a US media report. Khalilzad is set to resume talks with the Taliban in a bid to clinch a deal by September - a priority for the Trump presidency going into an election year. President Ghani's government has already asked Washington to clarify Trump's remarks. A line from the statement released by the president's house in Kabul read, "The Afghan nation has not and will never allow any foreign power to determine its fate." Incidentally, Trump's remarks drew a strong reaction from the Taliban too which continues to oppose direct talks with President Ghani's government. "Trump's policy that he does not want to play the role of a police officer in Afghanistan and that this war against an entire nation cannot be won so long as they are alive is something positive. However, his claim that he can wipe out Afghanistan, kill 10 million Afghans and win this war through such a method is irresponsible and we condemn it in the strongest terms," a Taliban spokesperson said. Watch: Trump caught lying again Trump's other remark on Kashmir, made during the same meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, also caused a diplomatic flutter and miffed New Delhi. While offering to mediate in the Kashmir issue, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a similar appeal when he met him. India was quick to dismiss that claim. India's Ministry of External Affairs said no such request was ever made by PM Modi and that Kashmir remains a bilateral issue. New Delhi believes that Trump is in a hurry to pull out US troops from Afghanistan and call an end to the Afghan War. And he wants to keep Pakistan in good humour so that it can make the Taliban to agree to a peace deal. Washington knows only too well the linkages that exist between the Pakistani state and the Taliban. The only time a US government official came close to answering a question about Trump's remarks about PM Modi and Kashmir was during a media interaction with the US President's chief economic advisor Larry Kudlow. A journalist asked Kudlow whether the president made up his remarks. "The President does not make anything up. That's a very rude question in my opinion. I am going to stay out of that. It's outside of my lane. It's for Mr (US National Security Adviser John) Bolton, Mr (US Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo and the President, so I am not going to comment on that. President does not make things up," said Kudlow. But a former US diplomat Nicholas Burns, who played a key role in the India-US civil nuclear deal during the George Bush government, said that it is embarrassing for a US President to "make things up".

As US fights fire over Donald Trump's comments, experts say embarrassing for a US President to 'make things up'

Pakistan has taken action against all Islamist militants including the Haqqani network, the army spokesman said on Monday hours ahead of a US&nbsp;announcement on Afghan policy that could herald a tougher stance towards Islamabad.

&quot;There are no terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. We have operated against all terrorists, including (the) Haqqani network,&quot; spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told a media briefing in Islamabad.

He said evidence to that effect was shared with General Joseph Votel, chief of the US Central Command, who visited Pakistan over the weekend.

US officials say Afghan&#39;s Islamist Taliban insurgents and the allied Haqqani network, deemed the most lethal Afghan militant group, are supported by elements of Pakistan&#39;s military and top intelligence agency, a charge Islamabad denies.

US President Donald Trump was expected in an address to the nation due at 0100 GMT to address the future of relations with Islamabad, part of a review of policy on the protracted war in neighbouring Afghanistan.

With Taliban insurgent forces no nearer to defeat after more than 15 years of conflict, Trump was likely to announce a modest increase in US&nbsp;troop numbers in Afghanistan, a senior administration official said.

&quot;As regard to US policy, and even if it comes with certain coercive, you know, announcements, Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest,&quot; Ghafoor said.

Votel met Pakistan&#39;s army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and on Saturday toured the Waziristan area that was long the base of local and foreign militants along the Afghan border, where Pakistan&#39;s military waged a campaign to drive them out.

Washington and Islamabad have at times had a rocky relationship, including over the secret US raid inside Pakistan in 2011 that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Relations have been under scrutiny in Trump&#39;s lengthy review of a new strategy and troop levels in the fight against the Taliban and other Islamist militants in Afghanistan.

The statement from the Pakistani Army spokesperson comes before US President Trump is expected to unveil a new strategy in Afghanistan

Pakistan has taken action against all Islamist militants including the Haqqani network, the army spokesman said on Monday hours ahead of a US announcement on Afghan policy that could herald a tougher stance towards Islamabad. "There are no terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. We have operated against all terrorists, including (the) Haqqani network," spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told a media briefing in Islamabad. He said evidence to that effect was shared with General Joseph Votel, chief of the US Central Command, who visited Pakistan over the weekend. US officials say Afghan's Islamist Taliban insurgents and the allied Haqqani network, deemed the most lethal Afghan militant group, are supported by elements of Pakistan's military and top intelligence agency, a charge Islamabad denies. US President Donald Trump was expected in an address to the nation due at 0100 GMT to address the future of relations with Islamabad, part of a review of policy on the protracted war in neighbouring Afghanistan. With Taliban insurgent forces no nearer to defeat after more than 15 years of conflict, Trump was likely to announce a modest increase in US troop numbers in Afghanistan, a senior administration official said. "As regard to US policy, and even if it comes with certain coercive, you know, announcements, Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest," Ghafoor said. Votel met Pakistan's army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and on Saturday toured the Waziristan area that was long the base of local and foreign militants along the Afghan border, where Pakistan's military waged a campaign to drive them out. Washington and Islamabad have at times had a rocky relationship, including over the secret US raid inside Pakistan in 2011 that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Relations have been under scrutiny in Trump's lengthy review of a new strategy and troop levels in the fight against the Taliban and other Islamist militants in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has cracked down on Islamist militants including Haqqani network: Army

The Pentagon plans to send almost 4,000 additional United States troops to Afghanistan, according to reports.

The decision to deploy additional troops, some for training and advising Afghan forces and other for counter terrorism missions, could be announced as soon as next week.

The administration has been considering sending additional troops for some time.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-plan-to-win-afghan-stalemate-is-zero-sum-game-16839">An analysis on US&#39; decision to deploy more troops in Afghanistan</a>

About 8,400 U.S. troops are currently in Afghanistan on a dual mission of training, advising and assisting Afghan troops in their fight against the Taliban and conducting counter-terrorism missions against groups such as the al-Qaeda and the IS.

This comes two days after US President Donald Trump gave Secretary of Defense James Mattis full authority to set US troop levels in Afghanistan.

Before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, Mattis lauded the decision as a way to make managing the war effort more efficient. &quot;This assures the department can facilitate our missions and nimbly align our commitment to the situation on the ground,&quot; he said.

This comes in the backdrop of attacks in Kabul during May this year alone that have killed over 100 people.

Currently about 8,400 US troops are in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;along with about 5,000 NATO forces. Additional troops would allow the Western advisors to work with more Afghan combat units, though the locals would still be doing the actual fighting.&nbsp;

Mattis stressed that his new approach on&nbsp;Afghanistan, to be presented to Trump by the middle of July, will have a broader &quot;regional&quot; emphasis and not be beholden to any timelines.

About 2,400 US troops have been killed in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;since 2001 and another 20,000 wounded.

The US government has already spent around $1 trillion on warfighting and rebuilding, much of which has been squandered on wasteful projects.

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The troops surge comes after weeks of pressure on the Donald trump administration to come out with a coherent Afghanistan strategy

The Pentagon plans to send almost 4,000 additional United States troops to Afghanistan, according to reports. The decision to deploy additional troops, some for training and advising Afghan forces and other for counter terrorism missions, could be announced as soon as next week. The administration has been considering sending additional troops for some time. Also read: An analysis on US' decision to deploy more troops in Afghanistan About 8,400 U.S. troops are currently in Afghanistan on a dual mission of training, advising and assisting Afghan troops in their fight against the Taliban and conducting counter-terrorism missions against groups such as the al-Qaeda and the IS. This comes two days after US President Donald Trump gave Secretary of Defense James Mattis full authority to set US troop levels in Afghanistan. Before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, Mattis lauded the decision as a way to make managing the war effort more efficient. "This assures the department can facilitate our missions and nimbly align our commitment to the situation on the ground," he said. This comes in the backdrop of attacks in Kabul during May this year alone that have killed over 100 people. Currently about 8,400 US troops are in Afghanistan along with about 5,000 NATO forces. Additional troops would allow the Western advisors to work with more Afghan combat units, though the locals would still be doing the actual fighting. Mattis stressed that his new approach on Afghanistan, to be presented to Trump by the middle of July, will have a broader "regional" emphasis and not be beholden to any timelines. About 2,400 US troops have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001 and another 20,000 wounded. The US government has already spent around $1 trillion on warfighting and rebuilding, much of which has been squandered on wasteful projects.

US to send 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan: Reports