Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government kicked off in Qatar on Saturday, marking what US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced as a “truly momentous” breakthrough in nearly two decades of relentless conflict.
The negotiations will be tough, delegates acknowledged at an opening ceremony in Doha, and they are starting even as violence continues in Afghanistan.
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“Without a doubt, we will find many challenges in the talks during the coming days, weeks and months,” Pompeo said while calling on the parties in conflict to “seize this opportunity” to ensure peace. “Remember that you are acting not only for this generation of Afghans, but also for future generations.”
Nineteen years after the US-led invasion that toppled the Taliban, the war in Afghanistan still kills dozens of people every day and the country’s economy has been devastated, pushing millions into poverty.
Abdullah Abdullah, who was previously Afghanistan’s chief executive officer and heads the Kabul peace process, said 12,000 civilians have been killed and another 15,000 injured just since the United States signed a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban on February 29.
Abdullah called for a humanitarian ceasefire, but his request was not answered by Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who did not mention a truce in initial remarks.
The Taliban have long worried that reducing violence could reduce their influence. Instead, Baradar repeated the insurgents’ message that Afghanistan should be governed by Islamic law.
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