Resumption of US-Taliban talks

The United States will resume talks with the Afghan Taliban in Doha, where the militant group maintains a political office, to discuss several thorny issues, and eventually decide a roadmap for a post-war Afghanistan.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy and the man tasked with this herculean responsibility, arrived in Kabul in an attempt to breathe new life into efforts for ending the war in Afghanistan. His next stop will be Doha in the Middle East, where he will resume negotiations to discuss steps that could lead to a ceasefire and a settlement to the long war in Afghanistan.

The impasse has been ongoing since September when President Trump abruptly cancelled talks over criticism that he was giving away too much. Both sides were on the verge on a peace agreement after more than eighteen years of war.

During a surprise visit to the Bagram military base in Afghanistan last week, Trump said the Taliban “wants to strike a deal.” The militant group has refused to announce a ceasefire before the deal and have also refused to talk with the Afghan government, but have showed signed of cooperation.

The Taliban released two academics that were held hostage for several years in an apparent swap. US forces and Taliban also are fighting a mutual enemy, the local branch of ISIS in Afghanistan, which Afghan forces claim has been defeated completely in the volatile eastern province of Nangarhar.

Khalizad has also been visiting nations seen vital to Afghan peace, including Pakistan who has played a crucial role in restarting talks. Pakistan has welcomed the resumption of US-Taliban talks stating that it hopes the dialogue will lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and ultimately a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

The Qatar meeting appears to be a continuation of informal talks and not a resumption of formal negotiations for withdrawal of US troops. Both sides are expected to discuss ways to reduce violence but at least the impasse has ended, raising hopes to end the insurgency through a political settlement as an all military solution has yielded no results in the past.