Afghanistan government and Taliban to meet again after inconclusive talks in Doha
- Ahead of the second day of talks, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had said ‘the Islamic Emirate strenuously favours a political settlement’
- The Qatari facilitator of the talks said the sides had agreed to ‘work to prevent civilian casualties’, far short of previously agreed ceasefires
The latest talks between the Afghan government and Taliban in Doha ended without significant progress on Sunday even after the insurgents’ supreme leader said he “strenuously favours” a political settlement to the conflict.
Senior representatives of the Kabul government including head of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah flew in for two days of intensive talks as the hardline Islamist movement pushes a sweeping offensive across Afghanistan.
They had sought to revive long-stalled peace talks, but in a joint statement agreed on the need to reach a “just solution” and to meet again “next week”.
Ahead of the second day of talks, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had said “the Islamic Emirate strenuously favours a political settlement” despite the groups lightning victories on the ground.
But the Qatari facilitator of the talks said at the end of the two days that the sides had merely agreed to “work to prevent civilian casualties”, far short of previously agreed ceasefires.