Emboldened on an international stage, Taliban set for first official talks with Afghan government
After nearly 20 years of conflict, the Afghan government came face to face with Taliban leaders beneath ornate chandeliers in a grand ballroom Saturday to begin what many expect will be intensely difficult negotiations to shape Afghanistan's future.
. After showing resilience on the battlefield and stubbornness in negotiations, the militants enter the landmark talks with many of their demands met in the U.S. deal and with leverage gained from relentless attacks on Afghan forces.That leverage could prove advantageous as the two sides seek to merge their dramatically different visions of a postwar Afghanistan.
Taliban leaders celebrated the deal as a victory, breaking out into chants of “God is great” at the signing ceremony. But many Afghan officials and civilians viewed the document as. It contained no language ensuring Afghanistan would remain a democracy, made no mention of women’s rights or civil liberties, and called for the prisoner release before talks began, a move some viewed as ceding key government leverage.
Nearly 19 years ago, the Taliban was all but defeated as a military organization. Scattered by an intense U.S. bombing campaign, low- and mid-level fighters abandoned their posts, melting into the population, and the group’s senior leadership fell back across the border into Pakistan.A former senior U.S. military commander previously stationed in Afghanistan said that in the years after the U.S. invasion, he had the impression that “everything was possible.
Over the course of the war that would define his adult life, the commander said he saw a direct correlation between increased violence by the United States and its allies and increased support for his movement. As the United States ramped up the war against the Taliban with heavier use of airstrikes and more-frequent night raids in 2009, men from his town and neighboring villages began to approach him, asking how they could help the Taliban.
All told, Khalilzad worked for over a year to reach the deal signed in February. “One shouldn’t underestimate them as negotiators, in my judgment,” Khalilzad said of the Taliban. “Their advantage, in my view, is they are united.”
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Highlights: Key comments as historic Afghan-Taliban peace talks beginAfghan government representatives and Taliban insurgents, along with U.S. diplomats and other dignitaries gathered in Doha on Saturday for the start of historic peace talks aimed at ending decades of war that have killed tens of thousands of combatants and civilians in Afghanistan...
Weiterlesen »
Afghan government, Taliban begin peace talks in DohaAfghanistan’s warring sides started negotiations for the first time aimed at ending decades of war, bringing together delegates appointed by the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Weiterlesen »
Explainer: Afghan-Taliban peace talks: who, what, where and whyTalks seeking to end 19 years of war in Afghanistan started this weekend, with an opening ceremony on Saturday. Negotiators representing the Kabul government and Taliban insurgents are scheduled to sit face to face in the Qatari capital of Doha from Sunday.
Weiterlesen »
Afghan negotiators set off for Doha peace talks with TalibanNegotiations between Afghanistan's warring parties are likely to be 'contentious,' US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns as he departs for talks in Qatar
Weiterlesen »
Diplomats worry Trump's desire to withdraw US troops risks success of Afghan-Taliban talksAs the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban begin this weekend, there are concerns among current and former US national security officials that efforts to develop a solid path towards peace in Afghanistan could be jeopardized by President Donald Trump's goal of declaring victory by withdrawing American troops before November's election.
Weiterlesen »
Taliban and Afghan government meet for 'historic' talks, raising hopes for peaceAfghan government officials and Taliban insurgents gathered on Saturday for 'historic' peace talks, aimed at ending two decades of war that have killed tens of thousands of people and devastated a nation.
Weiterlesen »