Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 19, 2019 The Taliban has denied reports that it is prepared to resume talks with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on ending Afghanistan’s 17-year war. Pakistani media had reported that a meeting in Islamabad was possible following talks in the Pakistani capital between Khalilzad and senior Pakistani officials, including Prime
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 18, 2019 U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi in Islamabad on January 18 to brief him on his recent efforts to resolve neighboring Afghanistan’s 17-year war, Pakistani officials said. Qureshi assured Khalilzad of Pakistan’s support for the peace process, which has suffered a
Ayaz Gul VOA News January 17, 2019 ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has intensified efforts to keep the U.S.-led dialogue with the Afghan Taliban on track by attempting to arrange a meeting between the visiting chief American negotiator and insurgent representatives, highly placed sources told VOA Thursday. These official sources appeared confident about bringing the two sides to
RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal January 15, 2019 Pakistan has detained a senior member of the Afghan Taliban, sources in the group say. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources told RFE/RL that Hafiz Mohibullah, religious affairs minister when the Taliban ran Afghanistan before the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, was detained in the northwestern city of Peshawar. There
RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan January 9, 2019 KABUL — The U.S. special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has begun a two-week diplomatic tour of Afghanistan and other countries in the region in an attempt to push forward the peace process with the Taliban. Khalilzad began his latest diplomatic mission on January 8 — the same
Ayaz Gul VOA News January 3, 2019 ISLAMABAD — Immigration authorities in Pakistan have stopped issuance of visas at airports and border crossings to citizens of neighboring Afghanistan, citing security concerns. The abrupt cancellation of a longstanding “on arrival” visa facility for Afghan nationals comes amid an increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Officials blamed fugitive
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 3, 2019 WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump urged other countries, specifically Russia, Pakistan, and India, to become more involved in the fighting in Afghanistan as he argued against continued long-term presence of U.S. troops in the war-torn country. In televised comments to reporters during a cabinet meeting on January 2,
Ayaz Gul VOA News December 27, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The U.S. commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan traveled to Pakistan Thursday to discuss Afghan reconciliation efforts with Pakistan’s military chief, officials said. Gen. Austin Scott Miller’s visit came amid reports of a possible U.S. troop drawdown in Afghanistan and a renewed push to negotiate peace with
Ayaz Gul VOA News December 26, 2018 ISLAMABAD — Russia has hailed the reported U.S. plans to pull some troops from Afghanistan as “a step in the right direction” but cast doubt on whether Washington really intends to do so. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharovav told reporters in Moscow Wednesday that the potential military drawdown could
Ayaz Gul VOA News December 19, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The Taliban say ongoing bilateral “serious discussions” with the United States are entirely focused on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and reports to the contrary are “propaganda.” The marathon three-day dialogue, being hosted by the United Arab Emirates, is due to conclude Wednesday. Pakistan says