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Reuters
The Taliban have sent several delegates to the talks
The Afghan government has called for a humanitarian ceasefire with the Taliban as the first peace talks between the two sides began in Qatar.
Abdullah Abdullah, who led the government delegation, stressed that “there is no winner through war.”
The Taliban did not mention a truce, but reiterated that Afghanistan should be under Islamic law.
The US encouraged both sides to reach an agreement, telling them: “The whole world wants you to be successful.”
Afghanistan has seen four decades of conflict, with tens of thousands of civilians killed.
The historic talks began on Saturday, the day after the 19th anniversary of the deadly al-Qaeda attacks on September 11 in New York, which prompted the United States to launch military operations in Afghanistan.
The conflict in Afghanistan has been the longest in American history.
Why are these talks so important?
These are the first direct talks between the Taliban and representatives of the Afghan government. The militants have so far refused to meet with the government, calling them powerless and American “puppets.”
The conflict continues in Afghanistan and the government says 12,000 civilians have died since February.
At the opening ceremony on Saturday, the head of the peace council of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, called for an immediate ceasefire, telling Reuters that “one of the main problems on the minds of the people is the reduction of violence from meaningful way. “
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EPA
Abdullah Abdullah said his team hoped “to close the doors of war and pain forever.”
He added that his delegation “represents a political system that has the support of millions of men and women of diverse cultural, social and ethnic origins in our homeland,” and that it hopes to “close forever the doors of war and pain.”
Meanwhile, Taliban leader Mullah Baradar Akhund said he expected the negotiations to “advance patiently.”
He added that he wanted Afghanistan to be “independent, united and … have an Islamic system in which all the tribes and ethnic groups of the country meet without any discrimination.”
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The United States reached its own agreement with the Taliban in February, describing the talks as a “truly momentous” opportunity.
“I think everyone sitting here today knows that it took hard work and sacrifice to get to this moment,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“The whole world wants you to succeed and is counting on you to do so.”
An emotional day for the delegates
Many Afghans who have traveled here described this day as emotional.
Today was about the symbolism and the beginning of the end of a war that has affected all parts of Afghanistan and all families.
Both sides say that today’s first discussions on procedural issues have gone much better than expected, but on many other issues there are profound differences: the timing of a ceasefire, the shape of the political system, the extent of personal freedoms. .
But more than anything else, the biggest problem is how to end a war that is now described as the deadliest in the world.
How difficult will it be to reach an agreement?
Everyone who participated in the talks has recognized that it will be a challenge.
Many are concerned that the fragile gains made on women’s rights may be sacrificed in the process, and one women’s rights activist noted that “there is not a single woman” on the Taliban’s negotiating team.
The talks also present a challenge for the Taliban, who will need to present a tangible political vision for Afghanistan. So far they have been vague, claiming that they want to see an “Islamic” but also “inclusive” government.
The talks may provide further evidence of how the militant group has changed since the 1990s, when they ruled using a harsh interpretation of Sharia law.
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