DOHA: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Afghan government and Taliban negotiators in Doha on Saturday to show signs of progress in talks as Washington accelerates its withdrawal.
Pompeo’s visit follows a rocket attack on a densely populated area of Kabul that killed at least eight people, sparking fresh violence in the Afghan capital. Are
The Taliban denied responsibility and the Islamic State group claimed a deadly strike. Pompeo met separately with the Afghan government and Taliban negotiating teams at a luxury hotel in the Qatari capital.
Pompeo, speaking on behalf of the Afghan government and taking a common interest in such a scenario, said: “I would be more interested in getting your views. He also met with Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Doha, the Taliban’s diplomatic base.
The outgoing top US diplomats are on a seven-nation tour of Europe and the Middle East, as President Donald Trump delays priorities.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it would soon withdraw about 2,000 troops from Afghanistan, in line with a February agreement between Washington and the Taliban that envisages a full US withdrawal by mid-2020. What has been done will speed it up.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to end “perpetual wars,” including in Afghanistan, the longest-running US conflict since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the Taliban. ۔ President-elect Joe Biden also supports ending the war in Afghanistan under a rare deal with Trump, although analysts believe he will not be married after the rapid withdrawal.
The Taliban are talking to the Afghan government for the first time. The talks began in Doha on September 12, but almost immediately on differences over the agenda, debates and infrastructure of religious interpretations. He refused.
Several sources told AFP on Friday that the two sides appeared to have resolved some issues. Among the key points so far, the Taliban and the Afghan government have been struggling to reach a consensus on two key issues.
The Taliban, who are Sunni hardliners, are urging adherence to the Hanafi school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, but government negotiators say it has used it to discriminate against thousands, mainly Shiites and other minorities. can go.
Another contentious issue is how the US-Taliban agreement will shape and refer to the Afghan peace agreement in the future. The Doha peace talks began after the Taliban and Washington signed an agreement in February, in which the United States agreed to withdraw all foreign troops in exchange for security guarantees, and the Taliban promised to resume talks.
Despite these talks, violence has escalated in Afghanistan, with the Taliban stepping up daily attacks on Afghan security forces.
By January 15, Trump’s plan to bring down his own troops, less than a week before Joe Biden was sworn in, has been criticized by Kabul residents who fear it could lead to a fight against the Taliban. A new wave will be encouraged.
.
