U.S. President Donald Trump met with President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the Riyadh summit.

The White House in a statement said, ” President Donald J. Trump met briefly today with President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan on the margins of the Islamic Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. President Trump welcomed President Ghani’s leadership in Afghanistan on fighting terrorism and implementing key reforms.”

The statement further added “He also commended the brave service of Afghan security forces as they fight to secure their country.”

Afghanistan Presidential Palace says President Ghani met President Trump and his National Security Adviser and discussed on U.S. long term cooperation with Afghan government.

Acting spokesman of President’s office, Shah Hussain Murtazawi said, “the two sides talked on continued support of U.S. from Afghanistan and joint cooperation in fighting against terrorism.”

Murtazawi added, ” U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster reassured U.S. support to Afghanistan in different spheres.”

In his address at the summit in Riyadh, President trump defined the battle against terrorist groups as a “battle between good and evil” as he urged Muslim-majority countries to redouble their counterterrorism efforts

“This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations,” Trump said. “This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil.”

Trump exhorted Muslim-majority countries to do more to eradicate terrorist groups that claim the mantle of Islam, urging Muslims to “drive out” terrorists.

“Drive them out,” Trump said. “Drive out the terrorists. Drive out the extremists. Drive them out of your places of worship. Drive them out of your communities. Drive them out of your holy land and drive them out of this Earth.”

The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai in reaction to President Trump’s remarks said “terrorism is the result of the policy and action of the United States and its allies and claimed that terrorists have no place in worship places and communities of Muslims.”

This comes as President Trump praised the efforts of countries in fight against terrorism, particularly the Afghan soldiers in Riyadh summit.

“Courageous Afghan soldiers are making tremendous sacrifices in the fight against the Taliban, and others, in the fight for their country,” Trump said.

By: Muhammad ZackArya