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U.S. Envoy in Doha for Talks on Afghan Security

The U.S. State Department said special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has traveled to Doha, Qatar, for talks with representatives (Axios) from the Taliban and the Afghan government amid a Taliban offensive.

The U.S. State Department said special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has traveled to Doha, Qatar, for talks with representatives (Axios) from the Taliban and the Afghan government amid a Taliban offensive. He warned the Taliban (AP) today that any group that uses force to come to power won’t be recognized internationally. Khalilzad will also discuss Afghanistan’s security situation (VOA) with envoys from China, Pakistan, and Russia.

The talks come as the Taliban has taken over (NYT) several of Afghanistan’s provincial capitals. The United States carried out air strikes against the group in recent days. It is scheduled to complete its military withdrawal from the country by August 31, though it is unclear (Bloomberg) if and how it could continue to support Afghan forces afterward. The Taliban has said it wants peace talks with the Afghan government, but Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told his cabinet last month that the group seeks his government’s surrender.

Analysis

“Providing air support for beleaguered Afghan forces makes sense. But it’s much harder to do now that the US gave up all its airbases in Afghanistan. A policy that makes little sense,”

“After all the investments in Afghanistan, not only the money but also the American lives lost, is this the best way to end the war? If [the United States] had worked more closely with Afghanistan’s neighbors, including Iran and India, and insisted on a conditions-based withdrawal, would the Taliban have run out the clock as they are currently doing?” William and Mary’s Rani D. Mullen says.

This Backgrounder unpacks the Taliban’s history and goals.

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