US, Taliban Discuss Troop Withdrawal, Counter-terrorism at Peace Talks
American and Taliban officials looking to end a 17-year war in Afghanistan began their most detailed and high-level discussions yet on Tuesday.
The discussion focuses on foreign troop withdrawals and counter-terrorism, officials close to the peace negotiations said.
The first meeting on Monday between Khalilzad and Baradar appeared to be “formal, and yet very cordial,” a third source close to the talks said.
The two agreed to have “a result-oriented discussion” for the next five days, the source said.
Hopes have been high for a breakthrough ever since Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban and the movement’s new political chief, was freed from a Pakistani jail last year to participate.
His appointment was widely seen as a fresh effort by the Taliban to emerge from the political and diplomatic shadows.
“Baradar gave the opening address, met with all the U.S. and Qatari officials. He requested his delegation to continue talks. He will be in Qatar, but may not attend all the sessions,” the first official said.
The United States intervened in Afghanistan in 2001 to help opposition forces topple the Taliban government which had sheltered the al Qaeda militants responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks.
Washington and its allies later sent troops to prevent the Taliban from returning to government in a war that escalated for a decade.
The talks kicked off in Doha on Monday with a meet-andgreet lunch. It is seen as the most promising yet between the warring parties after the Taliban’s newly appointed political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar joined for the first time, flying in from Pakistan.
The two sides are looking to hammer out a timeline and logistics for a potential troop withdrawal, as well as guarantees that the Taliban will not host militant groups as the U.S. winds down its presence.
“The Taliban knows foreign forces are committed to withdrawal, but we have the responsibility to ensure that Afghanistan does not get used as a base to launch terror attacks on foreign nations,” one of the officials said.
Some 14,000 U.S. troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a U.S.-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces.
Some U.S. forces also carry out counterterrorism operations.
U.S. military officials have been brought in to join this week’s talks in Doha, a second official said, raising hopes for progress after the last round in January secured a broad framework agreement but few details on critical aspects of a ceasefire and withdrawal.