Ayaz Gul VOA News November 17, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has held another round of marathon discussions with Qatar-based Taliban officials to push for a politically negotiated settlement to the 17-year war. Khalilzad’s three days of meetings with the Islamist insurgency concluded on Friday and both sides were
Ariana: In reaction to the Wall Street Journal’s report, the U.S. Ambassador in Kabul John Bass on Tuesday said that the United States is committed to helping the Afghan electoral commissions and the government to hold the presidential elections in April next year. The WSJ [Wall Street Journal] reported that the Trump administration is discussing whether to
Ayaz Gul VOA News November 12, 2018 ISLAMABAD — Russia said Monday the Taliban has secretly held 10 rounds of talks with the United States, other than the officially announced recent contact between the two sides in Qatar on how to end the war in Afghanistan. There have been only two publicly known meetings U.S. officials
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty November 11, 2018 Afghan officials say 15 civilians and 10 elite force members have been killed in Ghazni Province, as a days-long battle continued November 11. Fighting in Jaghori district — an area inhabited mainly by Shi’ite ethnic Hazaras — erupted on November 7 when Taliban militants attacked the district. The
Tolo News: The office of the Chief Executive of the National Unity Government has welcomed efforts by Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan’s Reconciliation, to bring about peace. One of the CEO’s spokesmen, Omid Maisam, said the only way to ensure peace in Afghanistan is to put pressure on the Taliban and on countries
Ayaz Gul VOA News October 23, 2018 ISLAMABAD — Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared upbeat Tuesday about the recently launched U.S.-led dialogue with the Taliban, saying it “hopefully” would lead to peace in Afghanistan and pave the way for regional economic connectivity and prosperity. Speaking at an investment conference in Saudi Arabia, Khan was referring
A Special Commentary by Michael Hughes
Tolo News: Former chief of the National Directorate of Security Amrullah Saleh said on Tuesday that the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad does not have the authority to talk with Taliban on behalf of the Afghan people. Saleh made the remarks at a gathering in Kapisa province where he voiced disapproval over talks between Khalilzad and Taliban last week in Qatar. Saleh said
Ayaz Gul VOA News October 13, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The United States and the Taliban held a new round of direct talks this week in Qatar, where the two sides agreed to continue the dialogue process to promote a negotiated settlement to the 17-year-old war in Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesman, while announcing details of Friday’s meeting,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 10, 2018 Washington’s new envoy tasked with pursuing a peaceful settlement of Afghanistan’s 17-year war is visiting Pakistan to seek help from Islamabad’s new government in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table, the U.S. Embassy said. Zalmay Khalilzad, a former U.S. ambassador to Kabul, arrived in Pakistan on October