Turmoil in Kabul puts brakes on negotiations with Taliban

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani faces crisis over talks

A team announced yesterday by Afghan president Ashraf Ghani to negotiate a peace deal with the Taliban has been rejected by the opposition as not inclusive enough.

Afghanistan’s political turmoil continues to impede steps toward negotiations with the Taliban, which is the next critical step in a peace deal Washington signed with the insurgent group last month.

The deal calls for the eventual withdrawal of all 13,000 U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban to fight terrorist groups, including the Islamic State group. The deal has also been touted as Afghanistan’s best chance yet of ending its relentles wars.

But Ghani and his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah – who has also declared himself president – have been locked in a political power struggle.

Abdullah is unhappy with Ghani’s 21-member negotiating team and wants to restart talks with Ghani to devise a power-sharing deal, which until now the Afghan president has rejected. Abdullah has accused Ghani of being unwilling to compromise while Ghani says that Abdullah’s power sharing demands will require a constitutional change.

U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an emergency visit this week and promised to cut $1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan if the two leaders couldn’t “get their act together.” In a televised speech earlier this week, Ghani said Afghanistan can manage without the $1bn in U.S. aid.