RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan April 13, 2020 U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated a deal with the Taliban, has welcomed a prisoner exchange between the militants and the Afghan government as an “important step” toward peace. “Both sides should accelerate efforts to meet targets specified in the U.S.-Taliban agreement as soon as possible,” Khalilzad said on
Ayesha Tanzeem VOA News March 23, 2020 ISLAMABAD – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a previously unannounced visit to Kabul Monday to try to resolve a political dispute between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah. The dispute threatens to derail a deal that the United States and the Taliban signed last
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 20, 2020 At least 24 Afghan security forces were killed early on March 20 in an insider attack on their base in southern Zabul Province, officials say. Several “infiltrators” opened fire on their comrades as they slept, Zabul Governor Rahmatullah Yarmal said, in one of the deadliest attacks since the
Ayaz Gul VOA News March 19, 2020 ISLAMABAD – The United States is calling on warring sides in Afghanistan to start a prisoner swap without further delay, citing urgency in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. reconciliation envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in a series of tweets Wednesday appeared frustrated at the delay in the next
Tolo News: The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, is back in Kabul and has met with Abdullah Abdullah, close to aide to Abdullah said on Wednesday as election crisis prevails in the country. Tackling the ongoing political crisis and the peace process were on the agenda of the meeting between Abdullah and
1TV: In an interview with Germany’s Spiegel, Khalilzad said that the the Independent Election Commission had declared Ghani as winner of the election, but he noted that Abdullah, who rejected the results, had valid concerns. “It is important that the current political crisis does not devolve into violence,” Khalilzad said. “Potential violence stemming from the
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 5, 2020 U.S. defense chiefs have told lawmakers that the initial results from the Taliban peace deal have been mixed, but they insisted that the extremist group is adhering to much of the agreement despite a flare-up of deadly violence in Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told a Senate panel
Ayaz Gul VOA News February 29, 2020 ISLAMABAD – The United States and the Taliban signed a landmark agreement Saturday in Doha, Qatar, setting the stage for ending a nearly 19-year-old war in Afghanistan and bringing back home thousands of American troops deployed there. U.S. chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 26, 2020 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has postponed his inauguration for his second term until March 9, amid a bitter dispute with his main election rival. The delay was due to “rumors” about the spread of the new coronavirus and the short notice for world leaders to attend the ceremony,
Press TV February 3, 2020 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has demanded “demonstrable evidence” from the Taliban that they have the capacity to reduce violence before signing a deal to end America’s longest war, even though official military figures show that in the last quarter of 2019 the US dropped a record number