Taleban-Afgan Government, "Discussing New Government Formation in Qatar Doha"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Islamic militant group Taliban, which has reoccupied Afghanistan, is reportedly discussing the formation of a new government with the Afghan government side in Doha, Qatar. The Taliban is expected to swiftly form a new government while avoiding provoking foreign troops, including the US military, who are evacuating from Kabul International Airport.

According to foreign media including the AP News on the 17th (local time), a Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the second-in-command of the Taliban, and an Afghan government delegation led by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai met in Doha, Qatar, to discuss the formation of a new government and post-conflict negotiations. In an interview with the Afghan local media Tolo News on the same day, Baradar stated, "The safety of Kabul citizens is the most important," and added, "We are also negotiating with other parties and political forces outside the Afghan government in Pakistan."

Former President Karzai also posted on his Twitter that day, saying, "We are conducting peace negotiations with the Taliban leadership and having meaningful dialogue," and "Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are also participating in the negotiations with the Taliban." They met immediately after news broke on the 15th that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had abandoned the government and fled, forming a 'Coordination Committee' and starting negotiations with the Taliban side.

Former President Karzai took office as the first president of the transitional government after the Taliban was ousted from Kabul by the US and allied forces in 2001. He is known as a politician who worked hard on post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan after winning consecutive presidential elections in 2004 and 2009. Kabul's international airport, "Hamid Karzai International Airport," was also named after him. He declared that he would remain in Afghanistan immediately after it became known that President Ghani had fled.

The AP News reported that both sides will mainly focus on maintaining stability in Kabul during these negotiations. The Taliban is also reportedly considering a direction that does not provoke foreign troops, including the US military withdrawing from Kabul, through negotiations with the Afghan government delegation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.