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
Ayaz Gul VOA News October 8, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The Taliban has ordered its fighters to attack authorities and security forces who are helping organize this month’s parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, denouncing the process as “fake” and “completely bogus.” The Islamist insurgency in a statement issued Monday called on candidates and voters to boycott the polls,
Ayaz Gul VOA News September 23, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The Afghan Taliban has warned the United States against meeting “fake” and “fraudulent” insurgent delegations, saying such contacts could “seriously harm any possible genuine process of dialogue.” The Islamist insurgency issued the warning following media reports of meetings between American and unidentified “high-ranking” Taliban officials in Dubai
Associated Press: In the past, Khalilzad has called on the U.S. to declare Pakistan a terrorist state, saying it harbors insurgents. The Trump administration has embraced a similar position, recently suspending $300 million in aid to Pakistan, saying it isn’t doing enough to eliminate Taliban safe havens on its territory. Click here to read more (external
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty September 5, 2018 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said late on September 4 that he has appointed former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to be his special adviser on Afghanistan. “Ambassador Khalilzad is going to join the State Department team to assist us in the reconciliation effort, so he
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 23, 2018 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to appoint Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born former U.S. ambassador to Kabul, as his special envoy on Afghanistan, media reported on August 22. The decision reported by Reuters and AP, citing anonymous U.S. officials, would send a signal that the United