Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 7, 2019 Taliban representatives and an Afghan delegation led by former President Hamid Karzai have said that after two days of negotiations in Russia they aim to continue their “intra-Afghan” dialogue in Qatar “as soon as possible.” Karzai led a delegation of about 40 Afghan politicians — although without representatives
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 31, 2019 A spokesman for the Taliban, which now reportedly controls nearly half of Afghanistan, has said that the group is not seeking to rule Afghanistan alone in any future government structure and wants to co-exist with current institutions, according to the Associated Press news agency. The statement by spokesman
Ron Synovitz Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 29, 2019 After six days of talks in Qatar with Taliban representatives, the U.S. special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, announced on January 28 that an agreement had been reached on a “framework” peace process to end the 17-year Afghan war. Khalilzad said the agreement calls for the
Ayaz Gul VOA News January 28, 2019 ISLAMABAD — A top Russian diplomat is in Pakistan to discuss efforts to promote direct peace talks between warring sides in neighboring Afghanistan. Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov is visiting Islamabad after last week’s marathon talks between U.S. special representative for Afghan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and the
Ayesha Tanzeem VOA News January 25, 2019 ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — As peace talks between the United States and Afghan Taliban enter a crucial stage, the Taliban leadership has announced a new chief negotiator, a man named Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. According to a statement issued Thursday night by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, the action is intended
By RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal January 25, 2019 A co-founder of the Afghan Taliban who was released from detention by Pakistan last year has been appointed as the leader of the militant group’s political office in Qatar. The move comes as the talks with the United States on a potential deal to bring an end to
VOA News Ayaz Gul January 24, 2019 ISLAMABAD — Hopes are running high that uninterrupted, extended peace talks between the United States and the Taliban in Qatar could set the stage for a politically negotiated settlement to the 17-year-old war in Afghanistan. The talks opened Monday with the U.S. team led by Washington’s special representative for
By RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan January 22, 2019 KABUL — Afghan officials say a Taliban attack on a military base to the west of Kabul killed at least 65 members of the country’s security forces. Taliban militants carried out the assault in Maidan Shahr, the capital of Maidan Wardak Province, early on January 21. “We
Ayaz Gul VOA News January 20, 2019 ISLAMABAD — The process of submitting nomination papers for the upcoming presidential vote in Afghanistan concluded Sunday, with President Ashraf Ghani and his ruling coalition partner Abdullah Abdullah among the candidates seeking the country’s top office. Ghani and Abdullah, who was appointed chief executive in a deal mediated by