A new round of Afghan peace talks will begin in Doha, Qatar

Following the escalation of violence and the severance of contacts between the peace delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban negotiators, a new booth of opportunity has now opened for the resumption of these talks, which has brought new hopes. In the most recent case, the country’s media reported that the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan would return to Qatar to resume talks with the Taliban delegation.

After a stalemate for several months, peace talks between the two sides have now raised hopes for the leadership of the Afghan government and the Taliban, and the Afghan delegation’s visit to Qatar has boosted confidence in the peace process. In the latest case, the Ministry of State for Peace says several government negotiating team members are scheduled to leave for Qatar on Tuesday (6/1/2021).

Najia Anwari, a spokeswoman for the government ministry for peace affairs, told the media that the government’s delegation is going to Doha today to begin talks between the two sides as soon as possible, as the peace process meet a deadlock in recent months after the Taliban rejects participating in Istanbul process.

Mrs. Anwari added that Abdul Salam Rahimi and Fatemeh Gilani, two Republic peace delegation members, were present in Doha during the days when other members of the government’s negotiating team had returned to Afghanistan. In addition, she claims that the negotiating members had several formal and informal meetings with the Taliban in Doha.

She added: “The members of the Taliban delegation have said that the talks should be accelerated, and that is why the remaining members of the delegation who were in Kabul will go to Doha to meet with the delegations of the two sides, and it is expected that by reaching Doha they would resume the negotiations with Taliban.”

Earlier, former President Hamid Karzai told foreign media that the Taliban’s actions were disturbing and that the continuing violence in the country would widen the gap between the two sides to advance peace talks; it better than the group should stop their actions against the Afghan Nation.

Before that, a meeting on Afghan peace was scheduled to be held in Turkey; But Najiya Anwari says it is still unclear when the meeting will occur due to the Taliban’s unpreparedness. However, she said the Afghan government is fully prepared to attend the meeting.

A change in the timing of US and NATO troop’s withdrawal has left the Taliban reluctant to continue talks and escalate their violence in response to the Afghan government’s call for a ceasefire, which has increased casualties among the Taliban.