Afghan peace process
The Afghan peace process comprises the proposals and negotiations in a bid to end the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Although sporadic efforts have taken place since the war began in 2001, negotiations and the peace movement intensified in 2018 amid talks between the Taliban, which is the main insurgent group fighting against the then-Afghan government and American troops; and the United States, of which thousands of soldiers maintain a presence within the country to support the Afghan government.[1] Besides the United States, major powers such as China, India, Pakistan, Russia, as well as NATO play a part that they see as facilitating the peace process,[2][3][4] while the Afghan peace group People's Peace Movement sees regional and global powers as a cause of continued war.[5][6]
As part of the peace process, two peace treaties have been signed so far. On September 22, 2016, the first treaty was signed between the Afghan government and the Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin militant group.[7] The second peace treaty was signed between the U.S. and the Taliban on February 29, 2020,[8][9] which called for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban upheld the terms of the agreement.[10][11]
After the agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban, there was a surge in insurgent attacks against Afghan security forces.[12] Peace talks between officials from the Afghan state and the Taliban started in September 2020 in Doha, Qatar, but there has been a rise in civilian casualties since then. During May and June 2021, nearly 800 Afghan civilians were killed and over 1,600 others wounded due to the attacks, the highest number for those two months since the United Nations began systematically documenting Afghan casualties in 2009.[13][14]
After the Fall of Kabul in August 2021 during the 2021 Taliban offensive, the Afghan government began negotiations with the Taliban, although it appears unlikely that they will end in anything less than an unconditional surrender by the government.[15][16][17] A peaceful transfer of power has been requested by the Taliban,[17] and the government has declared its willingness to abide.[18] However, the government has requested that power be transferred to a transitional government, while the Taliban desires a complete transfer of power.[19] NATO forces maintain a presence in Kabul.[20]
Background[]
The Taliban, which refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,[21] is a militant organization that operates in Afghanistan, a country in Central/South Asia. The Taliban emerged in 1994, taking advantage of the power vacuum that was left following the aftermath of the Afghan Civil War.[22] The group was mainly composed of Afghan religious students who studied in Afghan madrassas as well as in Pakistani madrassas during their time as refugees (and who had fought in the Soviet–Afghan War) under the leadership of Mohammed Omar.[23]
Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist network, were granted sanctuary in Afghanistan on the condition that it did not antagonize the United States, but Osama bin Laden reneged on the agreement in 1998 when he orchestrated bombings of US embassies in East Africa. The episode was indicative of tensions that emerged between the two groups. The Taliban was fundamentally parochial while Al-Qaeda had its sights set on global jihad.[23]
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. under President George W. Bush made a request to the Taliban leadership to hand over Osama bin Laden, who was the prime suspect in the attacks.[24] The Taliban refused to hand bin Laden over, demanding evidence of his participation in the attacks.[25] Consequently, the U.S., together with its NATO allies, launched the United States invasion of Afghanistan, code-named Operation Enduring Freedom, on October 7, 2001. By December 17 that year, the U.S. and its allies had driven the Taliban from power and begun building military bases near major cities across the country. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was later created by the United Nations Security Council to train Afghan National Security Forces to oversee military operations in the country so as to prevent any resurgence of the Taliban group. The Taliban launched numerous attacks on the Afghan forces, government facilities, and any organization that they believed were in alliance with the US.[26]
The US has been on the ground and directly involved in the war for 18 years, with analysts describing the situation as a stalemate.[27] Although al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan are now considered to be "diminished", the war with the Taliban insurgents continues.[28] Ending the 18-year conflict has eluded former US presidents, and Donald Trump said that he considers the war too costly.[27] Similarities with the process to end the Vietnam War—America's longest war prior to 2010—have been noted, which resulted in the Paris Peace Accords in 1973.[29][30]
Issues of peace negotiations[]
Ideological differences have resulted in issues, particularly human rights. The 2004 Constitution of Afghanistan protects women's rights such as of speech and education, and press freedom including freedom of expression[31] – both of which had been suppressed under Taliban rule of Afghanistan. Khalilzad, Ghani, Abdullah, and several other senior Afghan officials have all stated that these rights should be protected,[32][33][34] and should not be sacrificed in a peace agreement.[35] The First Lady of Afghanistan, Rula Ghani, has been active in protecting women's rights.[36] Afghan journalists have demanded the press to be protected in any potential peace deal.[31]
Continued violence on both sides remains an obstacle to a final peace agreement. While preliminary talks were going on, the Taliban continued to fight on the battlefield and launch terror attacks in the capital city, and also threatened the 2019 Afghan presidential election on September 28.[37] According to US Air Force statistics released in February 2020, the US dropped more bombs on Afghanistan in 2019 than in any other year since 2013.[38]
The US ambassador to Afghanistan warned that a peace agreement could risk the Taliban coming back into power, similar to the aftermath of the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, during which the US-supported South Vietnamese government was defeated in the Fall of Saigon.[39][40] Pakistan warned that rising tensions in the Gulf region after the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani could affect the already-delayed US-Afghanistan peace process.[41]
Peace process[]
Following the Fall of Kabul and the election of Pashtun tribal chief Hamid Karzai as a national interim leader, the Taliban surrendered Kandahar following an offer of amnesty by Karzai. However the U.S. rejected a part of the amnesty in which Taliban leader Mullah Omar could "live in dignity" in his native Kandahar.[42] The Taliban were not invited to the Bonn Agreement of December 2001, which many cite has been the cause of the Taliban's battlefield resurgence and the continuation of conflict.[43] This was partly due to the Taliban's apparent defeat but also a U.S. condition that the Taliban would not be allowed to participate. By 2003 the Taliban showed signs of a comeback and not long afterwards their insurgency was underway. UN negotiator Lakhdar Brahimi admitted in 2006 that not inviting the Taliban to Bonn was "our original sin".[44] Insurgent attacks in the country reportedly grew fourfold between 2002 and 2006;[45] by late 2007 Afghanistan was said to be in "serious danger" of falling into Taliban control despite the presence of 40,000 NATO-led ISAF troops.[46]
Early outlook (2007–2010)[]
Negotiations had long been advocated by the former Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, as well as the British and Pakistani governments, but resisted by the American government. Karzai offered peace talks with the Taliban in September 2007, but this was swiftly rejected by the insurgent group citing the presence of foreign troops.[47] By 2009 there was broad agreement in Afghanistan that the war should end, but how it should happen was a major issue for the candidates of the 2009 Afghan presidential election[48] that re-elected Karzai. In a televised speech after being elected, Karzai called on "our Taliban brothers to come home and embrace their land"[49] and laid plans to launch a loya jirga. Efforts were undermined by the Obama administration's increase of American troops in the country.[50] Karzai reiterated at a London conference in January 2010 that he wanted to reach out to the Taliban to lay down arms.[51] US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cautiously supported the proposal.[52] At the United States Institute of Peace in May 2010, Karzai stated that a "peace process" would be with the Taliban and other militants "who are not part of al-Qaeda or other terrorist networks or ideologically against us". Of the Taliban specifically, he stated, "They're countryside boys who don't hate the United States, perhaps a lot of them would like to visit the United States given the opportunity".[53]
Exploratory meetings and peace jirga (2010–2016)[]
The Taliban's co-founder and then-second-in-command, Abdul Ghani Baradar, was one of the leading Taliban members who favored talks with the US and Afghan governments. Karzai's administration reportedly held talks with Baradar in February 2010; however, later that month, Baradar was captured in a joint US-Pakistani raid in the city of Karachi in Pakistan. The arrest infuriated Karzai and invoked suspicions that he was seized because the Pakistani intelligence community was opposed to Afghan peace talks.[54][55] Karzai declared after his re-election in the 2009 Afghan presidential election that he would host a "Peace Jirga" in Kabul in an effort for peace. The event, attended by 1,600 delegates, took place in June 2010, however the Taliban and the Hezb-i Islami Gulbuddin, who were both invited by Karzai as a gesture of goodwill did not attend the conference.[56]
At the same time, talks with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's group Hizb-i Islami Gulbuddin went underway. Hekmatyar, who was the main beneficiary of American and Pakistani support during the Soviet-Afghan War, had a softer stance regarding the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country compared to the Taliban.[57]
A mindset change and strategy occurred within the Obama administration in 2010 to allow possible political negotiations to solve the war.[58] The Taliban themselves had refused to speak to the Afghan government, portraying them as an American "puppet". Sporadic efforts for peace talks between the US and the Taliban occurred afterward, and it was reported in October 2010 that Taliban leadership commanders (the "Quetta Shura") had left their haven in Pakistan and been safely escorted to Kabul by NATO aircraft for talks, with the assurance that NATO staff would not apprehend them.[59] After the talks concluded, it emerged that the leader of this delegation, who claimed to be Akhtar Mansour, the second-in-command of the Taliban, was actually an imposter who had duped NATO officials.[60]
Karzai confirmed in June 2011 that secret talks were taking place between the US and the Taliban,[61] but these collapsed by August 2011.[62] Further attempts to resume talks were canceled in March 2012,[63] and June 2013 following a dispute between the Afghan government and the Taliban regarding the latter's opening of a political office in Qatar. President Karzai accused the Taliban of portraying themselves as a government in exile.[64] In July 2015, Pakistan hosted the first official peace talks between Taliban representatives and the Afghan government. U.S and China attended the talks brokered by Pakistan in Murree as two observers.[65] In January 2016, Pakistan hosted a round of four-way talks with Afghan, Chinese and American officials, but the Taliban did not attend.[66] The Taliban did hold informal talks with the Afghan government in 2016.[67]
Afghanistan–Gulbuddin deal (2016)[]
Following months of negotiations, the Hezb-i Islami Gulbuddin, the second largest domestic militant group after the Taliban, signed a peace agreement with the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul. It was the first peace treaty since the war in Afghanistan started in 2001. Government officials praised the deal as a step towards peace and potentially a deal with the Taliban too.[68] However others shared concern due to controversial leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's alleged war crimes. The deal included the U.S. to whitelist him from a list of "global terrorists". Some parts of Afghan society protested the peace treaty due to his past actions.[69]
2017–2020[]
U.S. President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of harboring the Taliban and of inaction against terrorists, first in August 2017 then repeated the accusations in January 2018.[70][71]
On February 27, 2018, following an increase in violence, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani proposed unconditional peace talks with the Taliban, offering them recognition as a legal political party and the release of the Taliban prisoners. The offer was the most favorable to the Taliban since the war started. It was preceded by months of national consensus building, which found that Afghans overwhelmingly supported a negotiated end to the war.[72][73] Two days earlier, the Taliban had called for talks with the US, saying "It must now be established by America and her allies that the Afghan issue cannot be solved militarily. America must henceforth focus on a peaceful strategy for Afghanistan instead of war."[74] On March 27, 2018, a conference of 20 countries in Tashkent, Uzbekistan backed the Afghan government's peace offer to the Taliban.[75] However, the Taliban did not publicly respond to Ghani's offer.[citation needed]
A growing peace movement arose in Afghanistan during 2018, particularly following a peace march by the People's Peace Movement,[6] which the Afghan media dubbed the "Helmand Peace Convoy".[76][77] The peace march was a response to a car bomb on March 23 in Lashkar Gah that killed 14 people. The marchers walked several hundred miles from Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province, through Taliban-held territory,[78] to Kabul. There they met Ghani and held sit-in protests outside the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and nearby embassies.[79] Their efforts inspired further movements in other parts of Afghanistan.[80]
Following the march, Ghani and the Taliban agreed a mutual ceasefire during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations in June 2018. During the Eid ceasefire, Taliban members flocked into Kabul where they met and communicated with locals and state security forces. Although civilians called for the ceasefire to be made permanent, the Taliban rejected an extension and resumed fighting after the ceasefire ended on June 18, while the Afghan government's ceasefire ended a week later.[81][82][83]
American officials secretly met Taliban members in July 2018, at the latter's political office in Qatar.[84] In September 2018, Trump appointed Zalmay Khalilzad as special adviser on Afghanistan in the US State Department, with the stated goal of facilitating an intra-Afghan political peace process.[85] Khalilzad led further talks between the US and the Taliban in Qatar in October 2018.[86] Russia hosted a separate peace talk in November 2018 between the Taliban and officials from Afghanistan's High Peace Council.[87] The talks in Qatar resumed in December 2018,[88] though the Taliban refused to allow the Afghan government to be invited,[89] considering them a puppet government of the US.[90] The Taliban spoke with Afghans including former President Hamid Karzai, held at a hotel in Moscow in February 2019, but again these talks did not include the Afghan government.[32]
A further round of talks in Qatar were held in February 2019, this time including Baradar in the Taliban delegation[90] – he had been released by Pakistan in October 2018 at the US' request.[91][92] Khalilzad reported that this round of negotiations was "more productive than they have been in the past" and that a draft version of a peace agreement had been agreed. The deal involved the withdrawal of US and international troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban not allowing other jihadist groups to operate within the country.[90] The Taliban also announced that progress was being made in the negotiations.[90]
A delegation of Taliban officials and senior Afghan politicians met in Moscow for peace talks in February and May 2019.[93][94] Reuters reported that "Russian officials as well as religious leaders and elders had asked for a ceasefire."[95]
Between April 29 and May 3, 2019, the Afghan government hosted a four-day loya jirga to discuss peace talks. The Taliban were invited but did not attend.[96] Later in May, a third meeting was held in Moscow between a Taliban delegation and a group of Afghan politicians.[97] An eighth round of US-Taliban talks in Qatar was held in August 2019.[98] The Washington Post reported that the US was close to reaching a peace deal with the Taliban and was preparing to withdraw 5,000 troops from Afghanistan.[99] In September, Khalilzad stated that an agreement had been reached by the US and the Taliban, pending approval by Trump.[100] However, less than a week later, Trump canceled the peace talks in response to an attack in Kabul that killed an American soldier and 11 other people.[101] On September 18, 2019, the Taliban stated that their "doors are open" should Trump decide to resume peace talks in the future.[102] Following the collapse of the talks with the US, the Taliban sent a delegation to Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran to discuss prospects for a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.[103][104]
Peace negotiations resumed in December 2019,[105] leading to a seven-day partial ceasefire which began on February 22, 2020.[106]
U.S.–Taliban deal (2020)[]
![]() |
Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Secretary_Pompeo_Participates_in_a_Signing_Ceremony_in_Doha_%2849601220548%29.jpg/280px-Secretary_Pompeo_Participates_in_a_Signing_Ceremony_in_Doha_%2849601220548%29.jpg)
On February 29, 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in Doha, Qatar, officially titled the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan known also as Doha Agreement.[107] The provisions of the deal include the withdrawal of all American and NATO troops from Afghanistan, a Taliban pledge to prevent al-Qaeda from operating in areas under Taliban control, and talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.[108] The United States agreed to an initial reduction of its force level from 13,000 to 8,600 by July 2020, followed by a full withdrawal within 14 months if the Taliban keeps its commitments.[9] The United States also committed to closing five military bases within 135 days,[109] and expressed its intent to end economic sanctions on the Taliban by August 27, 2020.[110]
The deal was supported by China, Russia and Pakistan and unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council,[111] although it did not involve the government of Afghanistan.[112]
The resulting intra-Afghan negotiations were scheduled to begin on March 10, 2020[110] in Oslo, Norway.[113] The composition of the Afghan government negotiating team has not yet been determined, because the results of the 2019 Afghan presidential election are disputed.[114] The deal requires the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners by the start of the talks, in a prisoner exchange for 1,000 government soldiers held by the Taliban.[109] The Afghan government was not a party to the deal, and on March 1 Ghani stated that he would reject the prisoner exchange: "The government of Afghanistan has made no commitment to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners. [...] The release of prisoners is not the United States authority, but it is the authority of the government of Afghanistan."[115][116][117] Ghani also stated that any prisoner exchange "cannot be a prerequisite for talks," but must be a part of the negotiations.[118] On March 2, a Taliban spokesperson stated that they were "fully ready" for the intra-Afghan talks, but that there would be no talks if about 5,000 of their prisoners are not released. He also said that the agreed-upon period of reduction in violence was over and that operations against Afghan government forces could resume.[119]
Aftermath and surge in insurgent attacks[]
Despite the peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban, insurgent attacks against Afghan security forces were reported to have surged in the country. In the 45 days after the agreement (between March 1 and April 15, 2020), the Taliban conducted more than 4,500 attacks in Afghanistan, which showed an increase of more than 70% as compared to the same period in the previous year.[12] More than 900 Afghan security forces were killed in the period, up from about 520 in the same period a year earlier. Meanwhile, because of a significant reduction in the number of offensives and airstrikes by Afghan and U.S. forces against the Taliban due to the agreement, Taliban casualties dropped to 610 in the period down from about 1,660 in the same period a year earlier. The Pentagon spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, said that although the Taliban stopped conducting attacks against the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan, the violence was still "unacceptably high" and "not conducive to a diplomatic solution." He added: "We have continued to do defensive attacks to help defend our partners in the area and we will continue to do that."[12]
On June 22, 2020, Afghanistan reported its "bloodiest week in 19 years," during which 291 members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) were killed and 550 others wounded in 422 attacks carried out by the Taliban. At least 42 civilians, including women and children, were also killed and 105 others wounded by the Taliban across 18 provinces.[120] During the week, the Taliban kidnapped 60 civilians in the central province of Daykundi.[121]
On July 1, 2020, the U.S. House Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly voted in favor of a National Defense Authorization Act amendment to restrict President Trump's ability to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.[122][123]
President Biden′s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said in January 2021 that the United States would review the peace agreement to withdraw its remaining 2,500 soldiers from Afghanistan by May 2021.[124]
Prisoner swap negotiations[]
The Taliban resumed offensive operations against the Afghan army and police on March 3, 2020, conducting attacks in Kunduz and Helmand provinces.[125] On March 4, the US conducted airstrikes on Taliban fighters in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province.[126]
The intra-Afghan negotiations did not begin as planned on March 10, 2020. However, on that day Ghani signed a decree ordering the Afghan government to start releasing 1,500 Taliban prisoners on March 14 if they agreed to sign pledges guaranteeing they will not return to battle[127] If they do not sign the pledges, the decree will not go into effect.[127] The same day, the U.S. started withdrawing some troops.[128] Despite the fact that the terms of the peace agreement also received unanimous backing from the UN Security Council,[129] sources close to the Taliban, including Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen, afterward announced that the group had rejected Ghani's prisoner swap decree and still insisted on the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.[130][131][132] On March 14, 2020, Javid Faisal, a spokesman for the National Security Council, announced that President Ghani had delayed the release of Taliban prisoners, citing a need to review the list of the prisoners, thus endangering the peace agreement between the U.S. government and Taliban.[133]
On March 27, 2020, the Afghan government announced the formation of a 21-member negotiation team for the peace talks. However, on March 29 the Taliban rejected the team, stating that "we shall only sit for talks with a negotiation team that conforms with our agreements and is constituted in accordance with the laid out principles."[134] On March 31, 2020, a three-person Taliban delegation arrived in Kabul to discuss the release of prisoners.[135][136] They are the first Taliban representatives to visit Kabul since 2001.[135] The Afghan government had also previously agreed to hold the talks in Bagram Prison.[135] The same day, however, the Afghan government announced that the Taliban's refusal to agree to another ceasefire and the Taliban delegation's refusal to show up at the prison at the scheduled time both resulted in the postponement of the prisoner swap.[137][138][139] Following the arrival of the Taliban delegation, a senior Afghan government official told Reuters "the prisoner release might go ahead in a few days if everything goes as planned.”[136]
On March 31, 2020, the UN Security Council urged for all warring parties to declare a ceasefire in order for the peace process to progress further.[140][141] On April 1, 2020, it was revealed that the both the Taliban and Afghan government did in fact hold face-to-face talks in Kabul the previous day, unlike the previous video conference talks, and that they were overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).[142] However, Afghanistan's Office of the National Security Council stated that the only progress made so far was "on technical matters" and Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid afterward stated, "There will be no political talks there."[142] Outside the talks, tensions between the Afghan government and Taliban also showed when Afghan authorities blamed the Taliban for a April 1, 2020 explosion which killed several children in Helmand.[142] On the second day of negotiations, it was agreed that on April 2, 2020, up to 100 Taliban prisoners would be released in exchange for 20 Afghan military personnel[143]
On April 7, 2020, the Taliban departed from the prisoner swap talks, which Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen described as "fruitless."[144][145] Shaheen also stated in a tweet that hours after walking out of the talks, the Taliban's negotiating team was recalled from Kabul.[145] The Taliban also failed to secure the release of any of the 15 commanders they sought to be released.[144] Arguments over which prisoners to swap also resulted in a delay of the planned prisoner swap.[144] The next day, Faisal maintained that only 100 Taliban prisoners would be released.[145] Faisal later stated that the 100 prisoners, who were incarcerated at Bagram, were released.[146] The Taliban refused to verify these releases, in part due to the fact that the Taliban's withdrawal from Kabul prevented its "technical team" from making verifications of the prisoner identities.[146] As the Afghan government solely determined which prisoners were released, it also could not be confirmed if any of the prisoners released were on the Taliban's list of preferred names.[146]
On May 17, 2020, Ghani signed a power-sharing deal with his rival Abdullah Abdullah. This deal ended the long-running dispute about the results of the 2019 Afghan presidential elections, and assigned responsibility for peace negotiations to Abdullah.[147]
By August 2020, the Afghan government had released 5,100 prisoners,[148] and the Taliban had released 1,000.[149] However, the Afghan government refused to release 400 prisoners from the list of those the Taliban wanted to be released, because those 400 were accused of serious crimes.[150] President Ghani stated that he did not have the constitutional authority to release these prisoners, so he convened a loya jirga from August 7 to 9 to discuss the issue.[151] The jirga agreed to free the 400 remaining prisoners.[150]
On August 14, 2020, one of the 21 members of Afghanistan's peace negotiating team, Fawzia Koofi was attacked by gunmen, along with her sister Maryam Koofi, near Kabul. Fawzia Koofi is a prominent human rights activist of Afghanistan, who has been vocal in denouncing the Taliban. She was also a part of the team representing the Afghanistan government in the peace talks with the Taliban.[152]
Taliban officials have accused the Afghan government of intentionally postponing the release of 100 Taliban detainees in order to hamper intra-Afghan negotiations. To date, the Afghan government has freed about 5,000 Taliban prisoners under request from the Trump administration. The Afghan government denies the claims and insists that all Taliban prisoners have been freed. A government mediation team is on standby to travel to Doha for talks with the Taliban but delays have been persistent.[153]
Intra-Afghan negotiations (2020)[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Secretary_Pompeo_Meets_With_the_Taliban_Delegation_%2850333305012%29.jpg/280px-Secretary_Pompeo_Meets_With_the_Taliban_Delegation_%2850333305012%29.jpg)
Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban began in Doha, Qatar on September 12, 2020. The negotiations were set for March but have been delayed over a prisoner exchange dispute. Mawlavi Abdul Hakim will lead negotiations for the Taliban, he is the group's chief justice and a close confidant of Haibatullah Akhundzada. Abdullah Abdullah will be one of the leading figures for the Afghan government negotiating team. The Afghan government team also comprises women's rights activists.[154]
On December 27, 2020, Faraidoon Khwazoon, spokesman for Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation announced that a second round of talks was due to begin on January 5, 2021 in Doha.[155]
2021[]
On March 6, 2021, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani expressed that his government would be taking forward peace talks with the Taliban, discussing with the insurgent group about holding fresh elections and forming a government in a democratic manner.[156] On April 13, 2021, the Biden administration announced that it would withdraw its remaining 2,500 troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, on the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.[157] The U.S. government also reiterated support for the Afghan government regarding a possible Taliban military victory.[158] On July 5, 2021, the Taliban announced their intention to present a written peace plan to the Afghan Government in August but as of August 13, 2021, this has not been done.[159][160] Sources claimed that on August 12, 2021, Abdullah Abdullah, the Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, handed in a plan titled “exiting the crisis” which was shared with the Taliban. The sources say that the plan calls for the creation of a "joint government".[161] On August 15, 2021, following the 2021 Taliban offensive and the near seizure of the capital Kabul, the Taliban occupied the Presidential Palace after the incumbent President Ashraf Ghani fled the country to Tajikistan.[162]
Afghan peace movement[]
United States Institute of Peace researchers argue that there are nonviolent resistance movements in Afghanistan. They argued that in the mid-2010s, Afghan peace groups started pressuring both the Afghan government and the Taliban for ceasefires and to implement other steps in the peace process. The Tabassum movement arose in 2015, the Enlightenment Movement during 2016–2017, Uprising for Change in 2017, and the People's Peace Movement started in March 2018.[163]
Regional actors[]
India and Pakistan[]
Both rivals India and Pakistan have been in conflict regarding the Afghan peace process. Following a May 2020 attack at a hospital in Kabul, which the Afghan state blamed on Taliban while the U.S. blamed the regional ISIS branch, Pakistan accused India of trying to derail the process. The US-Taliban deal signed in February 2020 was seen in India as a "victory for Taliban and Pakistan". The Afghan government denied Pakistan's claims and cited that India is a partner.[164] India has been a major military and developmental assistance partner for Afghanistan.[165]
High Council for National Reconciliation chairman Abdullah Abdullah visited leaders in Islamabad and New Delhi in October 2020 to convince them to support an Afghan peace deal.[166] A senior Pakistani official said that India wants to "spoil" peace in Afghanistan.[167] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced his commitment to a peaceful Afghanistan.[168] India confirmed "active involvement" in the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha.[169]
After the announcement made by the Biden administration of the withdrawal of troops, the India's Ministry of External Affairs called for a ceasefire in Afghanistan and expressed worries that the conflict may spill over its Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said that "[W]e are deeply concerned about the increase in violence and targeted killings in Afghanistan. India has called for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire."[170]
Pakistan has facilitated the peace negotiations between the US government and the Taliban, and has maintained active involvement the peace process. Pakistan facilitated the 2020 peace deal between the warring sides. In 2021 the US government requested military bases in Pakistan to keep the Taliban in check after troops withdrawal. Pakistan's government denied any base in Pakistan's territory citing potential security risk with the Taliban forces and insurgency as the United States did not provide sufficient compensation during the war on terror in the previous years.
See also[]
- Colombian peace process
- Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
- Geneva Accords (1988)
- Doha Agreement (2020)
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
References[]
- ^ "DOD Anticipates Significant Troop Reduction in Afghanistan". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
- ^ "US, Russia, China, Pakistan urge Taliban to agree for ceasefire, begin talks with Afghan govt". @businessline. Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ "not excluded from peace process in Afghanistan: China". India Today. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "India sheds reluctance in engaging Taliban at the Doha intra-Afghan talks". Hindustan Times. September 15, 2020.
- ^ Mashal, Mujib; Shah, Taimoor (March 29, 2018). "Afghan Hunger Strikers Demand Cease-Fire: 'Our Blood Is Finished'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Yaad, Ziar (March 24, 2019). "Peace Movement Blames Foreign Countries For Afghan War". TOLOnews. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- ^ "Afghan warlord Hekmatyar returns to Kabul after peace deal". BBC News. May 4, 2017.
- ^ Basit, Abdul (June 2020). "The US-Taliban Deal and Expected US Exit from Afghanistan: Impact on South Asian Militant Landscape" (PDF). Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore: International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research. 12 (4): 8–14. JSTOR 26918076. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Rai, Manish (March 21, 2020). "U.S.-Taliban Deal: India should Chalk-out a New Strategy". OpedColumn.News.Blog. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ George, Susannah (February 29, 2020). "U.S. signs peace deal with Taliban agreeing to full withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan". WashingtonPost.com. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ Mashal, Mujib (February 29, 2020). "U.S. Strikes Deal With Taliban to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan". MSN.com. The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Taliban step up attacks on Afghan forces since signing U.S. deal: data". May 1, 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ {{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/26/afghan-civilian-casualties%7Ctitle=Civilian casualties in Afghanistan hit record highs as U.S. forces withdraw|date=July 26, 2021|website=The Washington Post
- ^ "Afghanistan civilian casualty figures at record high, UN says". The Guardian. July 26, 2021.
- ^ Mistlin, Alex; Sullivan, Helen; Harding, Luke; Harding, Luke; Borger, Julian; Mason, Rowena (August 15, 2021). "Afghanistan: Kabul to shift power to 'transitional administration' after Taliban enter city – live updates". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ "Afghanistan: Heavy fighting ongoing on the outskirts of Kabul as of early Aug. 15; a total blackout reported in the city". Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Taliban enter Kabul, await 'peaceful transfer' of power". AP NEWS. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ "Afghanische Regierung kündigt friedliche Machtübergabe an". FAZ. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ "Taliban officials: there will be no transitional government in Afghanistan". Reuters. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ "NATO says it is helping keep Kabul airport open for evacuations". Reuters. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ Ibrahimi, S. Yaqub (October 30, 2017). "The Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001): 'War-Making and State-Making' as an Insurgency Strategy". Small Wars & Insurgencies. 28 (6): 947–972. doi:10.1080/09592318.2017.1374598. S2CID 148986180.
- ^ "FSI | CISAC | MAPPINGMILITANTS CISAC – MMP: Afghan Taliban". cisac.fsi.stanford.edu.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Laub, Zachary (July 4, 2014). "The Taliban in Afghanistan". Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Jeffery, Simon (September 15, 2001). "Bush confirms Bin Laden is prime suspect". the Guardian. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Staff and agencies (October 14, 2001). "Bush rejects Taliban offer to hand Bin Laden over". the Guardian. Archived from the original on August 25, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Harooni, Mirwais. "Eleven Afghan soldiers killed in latest attack in Kabul". U.S. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Vitkovskaya, Julie (August 24, 2017). "4 things to know about America's war in Afghanistan". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ "Overcoming Inertia: Why It's Time to End the War in Afghanistan". Cato Institute. August 13, 2019.
- ^ Johny, Stanly (August 5, 2019). "Pulling a Vietnam in Afghanistan". The Hindu.
- ^ "How the U.S. Departure From Afghanistan Could Echo Kissinger's Moves in Vietnam". Time.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Afghan Journalists Demand Press Freedom Assurances in Kabul, Taliban Talks". www.voanews.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Higgins, Andrew; Mashal, Mujib (February 4, 2019). "In Moscow, Afghan Peace Talks Without the Afghan Government". The New York Times.
- ^ "Women's Rights Must Be Protected By Action, Not Rhetoric". www.amnesty.org.
- ^ "Abdullah stresses on women's role in peace process". August 5, 2019. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
- ^ "Freedoms Should Not Be Sacrificed For Peace: Afghan Women". TOLOnews. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
- ^ "Her husband's government has been excluded from peace talks. But Afghanistan's first lady is rallying the women". Washington Post.
- ^ "Taliban threatens to disrupt Afghan elections, dismisses September vote as 'ploy'". Washington Post.
- ^ "Airstrikes on the rise as US pursues Afghan peace talks". Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ "Opinion | How to get to yes with the Taliban in talks to allow for a U.S. withdrawal". NBC News.
- ^ Hirsh, Michael. "Ryan Crocker: The Taliban Will 'Retake the Country'".
- ^ "Afghanistan- US-Iran conflict would mean end of Afghan peace process: Olson". MENAFN. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- ^ Knowlton, Brian; Tribune, International Herald (December 7, 2001). "Rumsfeld Rejects PlanTo Allow Mullah Omar 'To Live in Dignity' : Taliban Fighters Agree to Surrender Kandahar (Published 2001)". The New York Times.
- ^ Borger, Julian (June 20, 2011). "Bonn conference could mark formal start of Afghan peace process". The Guardian.
- ^ "What do experiences from the 2001 Bonn process reveal about priorities for peace talks today – for example relating to ownership, participation, power- sharing and the sequencing of inclusion?". www.c-r.org.
- ^ "The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world" (PDF). www.rand.org.
- ^ "Afghanistan 'falling into hands of Taliban'". the Guardian. November 22, 2007.
- ^ "Taliban reject Afghan president's peace talk offer". Reuters. September 30, 2007.
- ^ Gall, Carlotta (August 17, 2009). "Peace Talks With Taliban Top Issue in Afghan Vote". The New York Times.
- ^ Farmer, Ben (November 3, 2009). "Hamid Karzai reaches out to 'Taliban brothers' in Afghanistan". Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ "The Karzai questions". Los Angeles Times. November 10, 2009.
- ^ Landler, Mark; Rubin, Alissa J. (January 28, 2010). "War Plan for Karzai: Reach Out to Taliban". The New York Times.
- ^ "Clinton Backs $500M Effort to Court Taliban". ABC News.
- ^ "Karzai's diplomatic language in the US". BBC News. May 14, 2010.
- ^ Nelson, Dean (March 16, 2010). "Hamid Karzai held secret talks with Mullah Baradar in Afghanistan". Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ "Profile: Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar". BBC News. September 21, 2013.
- ^ Wadhams, Caroline. "Afghanistan's fluffy peace jirga".
- ^ "Afghanistan: Peace talks with the Taliban's Gulbuddin Hekmatyar". Christian Science Monitor. February 11, 2010.
- ^ Tisdall, Ewen MacAskill Simon (July 19, 2010). "White House shifts Afghanistan strategy towards talks with Taliban". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Filkins, Dexter (October 19, 2010). "Taliban Elite, Aided by NATO, Join Talks for Afghan Peace". The New York Times.
- ^ Boone, Jon (November 23, 2010). "Fake Taliban leader 'dupes Nato negotiators'". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Farmer, Ben (June 18, 2011). "America has opened peace talks with Taliban, says Afghan President Hamid Karzai". Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Nelson, Dean (August 10, 2011). "Secret peace talks between US and Taliban collapse over leaks". Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Nordland, Rod; Bumiller, Elisabeth; Rosenberg, Matthew (March 15, 2012). "Karzai Wants U.S. Troops Confined to Bases; Taliban Suspend Peace Talks". The New York Times.
- ^ "US-Taliban Afghanistan peace talks in Qatar cancelled". The Guardian. London. June 20, 2013.
- ^ "Taliban, Afghan officials hold peace talks, agree to meet again". Reuters. July 8, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan hosts Afghanistan peace talks". BBC News. January 11, 2016.
- ^ Rothwell, James; Khan, Mohammad Zubair; Sarwary, Bilal (October 18, 2016). "Taliban holds 'informal' peace talks with Afghanistan". Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ "Afghan government signs peace deal with armed group". www.aljazeera.com.
- ^ Nordland, Rod (September 22, 2016). "Afghanistan Signs Draft Peace Deal With Faction Led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (Published 2016)". The New York Times.
- ^ "U.S. puts more pressure on Pakistan to help with Afghan war". Reuters. August 23, 2017.
- ^ Michaels, Jim. "Trump's pressure on Pakistan is major test of new strategy to end war in Afghanistan". USA TODAY.
- ^ Karzai, Hekmat Khalil (March 11, 2018). "Opinion | An Unprecedented Peace Offer to the Taliban". The New York Times.
- ^ "Afghanistan offers amnesty to the Taliban in a bid to end 16-year war". Los Angeles Times. February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Afghan President Urges Taliban To Talk Peace, Offering Political Recognition". NPR.
- ^ "Tashkent Conference Backs Afghan Government's Peace Offer". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty.
- ^ News, Ariana. "Helmand Peace Convoy Rejected Taliban's Allegations". Ariana News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ "Helmand peace convoy makes appeals to Russian, American people for peace". July 7, 2018.
- ^ "Going Nationwide: The Helmand peace march initiative". Afghanistan Analysts Network – English. April 23, 2018.
- ^ Mashal, Mujib (June 15, 2018). "A Grass-Roots Afghan Peace Movement Grows, Step by Step". The New York Times.
- ^ Kapur, Roshni. "How Afghanistan's Peace Movement Is Winning Hearts and Minds". Truthout. Archived from the original on March 4, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ "Taliban's surprise Eid ceasefire is unprecedented". Reuters.
- ^ "Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani ends ceasefire with Taliban". Deutsche Welle.
- ^ "Afghanistan: Taliban resume fighting as Eid ceasefire ends". Al Jazeera.
- ^ Shah, Taimoor; Nordland, Rod (July 28, 2018). "U.S. Diplomats Held Face-to-Face Talks With Taliban, Insurgents Say". The New York Times.
- ^ "Zalmay Khalilzad Will Try to Pave Way for Taliban Talks with Afghanistan". Cato Institute. September 28, 2018.
- ^ Islamabad, Craig Nelson in Kabul and Saeed Shah in. "U.S. Envoy Meets Taliban In Push for Afghan Peace Talks". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ "Afghan Taliban attend landmark talks". BBC News. November 9, 2018.
- ^ "New contacts announced between the Taliban and Americans – Intellectual Observer". Archived from the original on December 27, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
- ^ Paigham, Nawid. "Marginalised government". D + C, Development and cooperation.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "US peace envoy meets Taliban co-founder". February 25, 2019. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
- ^ "Pakistan frees Taliban co-founder at US request; will play constructive role in Afghan peace initiative". National Herald.
- ^ Reuters (February 9, 2019). "Pakistan in behind-the-scenes push to aid US-Taliban talks". DAWN.COM. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ "Taliban Peace Talks in Moscow End With Hope the U.S. Exits, if Not Too Quickly". The New York Times. February 6, 2019.
- ^ "Taliban says progress made at Afghan talks in Moscow". Al Jazeera. May 30, 2019.
- ^ "Taliban say progress made at Afghan talks in Moscow but no breakthrough". Reuters. May 30, 2019.
- ^ "Afghanistan Opens Loya Jirga To Discuss Peace Talks". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty.
- ^ "Taliban says progress made at Afghan talks in Moscow". Al Jazeera.
- ^ "Trump gets update from aides on Afghan peace plan with troop pullout possible". Reuters. August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
- ^ Lamothe, Dan; Hudson, John; Constable, Pamela (August 1, 2019). "US preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan in initial deal with Taliban". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ^ Nicole Gaouette. "US and Taliban reach agreement 'in principle' on Afghanistan, envoy says". CNN. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "Trump says he canceled peace talks with Taliban over attack". Reuters. September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "Afghanistan war: Taliban tell Trump their 'doors are open'". BBC. September 18, 2019.
- ^ "Afghan Taliban send team to Russia after U.S. talks collapse". Reuters. September 14, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ "Iran hosts Taliban to discuss Afghan peace process". Associated Press. November 27, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- ^ "US-Taliban Afghan peace talks at 'important stage': Khalilzad". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ "US-Taliban truce begins, raising hopes for a peace deal". Al Jazeera. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ Qazi, Shereena (February 29, 2020). "Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ "US and Taliban sign deal to end 18-year Afghan war". BBC News. February 29, 2020. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Graham-Harrison, Emma; Sabbagh, Dan; Makoii, Akhtar Mohammad; Borger, Julian (February 29, 2020). "US and Taliban sign deal to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan". The Guardian. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Seligman, Lara. "All U.S. troops to withdraw from Afghanistan under peace deal". POLITICO. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ "Security Council resolution endorses moves towards long-sought Afghanistan peace". United Nations. March 10, 2020.
- ^ Basu, Nayanima (September 12, 2020). "India asserts Afghanistan's 'national sovereignty' as peace talks with Taliban start in Qatar". ThePrint.
- ^ Gannon, Kathy; Lee, Matthew (February 29, 2020). "US and Taliban sign deal aimed at ending war in Afghanistan". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ Kermani, Secunder (March 1, 2020). "What will Taliban do after signing US deal?". BBC News. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ "Ghani: No Commitment to Release Taliban Prisoners". TOLOnews. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ "President Ghani rejects peace deal's prisoner swap with Taliban". Al Jazeera. March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ Schuknecht, Cat (March 1, 2020). "Afghan President Rejects Timeline For Prisoner Swap Proposed In US-Taliban Peace Deal". NPR. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ "Afghan conflict: President Ashraf Ghani rejects Taliban prisoner release". BBC News. March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ Sediqi, Abdul Qadir (March 2, 2020). "Taliban rule out taking part in Afghan talks until prisoners freed". Reuters. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ "Afghan Security Forces Suffer Bloodiest Week in 19 Years". June 22, 2020 – via www.voanews.com.
- ^ "Taliban kidnap 60 civilians in Afghanistan in a week". June 21, 2020 – via www.dailysabah.com.
- ^ "House panel votes to constrain Afghan drawdown, ask for assessment on 'incentives' to attack US troops". The Hill. July 1, 2020.
- ^ "House Democrats, Working With Liz Cheney, Restrict Trump's Planned Withdrawal of Troops From Afghanistan and Germany". The Intercept. July 2, 2020. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Biden administration will review deal with the Taliban: White House". news.yahoo.com. Reuters. January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
- ^ "A peace deal signed. Then America and the Taliban resume fighting". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613.
- ^ "U.S. carries out first airstrike on Taliban since Doha deal". NBC News. Reuters. March 4, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Shalizi, Hamid (March 10, 2020). "Exclusive: Afghan government to release 1,500 Taliban prisoners from jails – decree". Reuters. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ Snow, Shawn (March 10, 2020). "CENTCOM boss says military plans for withdrawal from Afghanistan not developed yet". Military Times. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ "The U.N. Has Unanimously Backed the U.S.-Taliban Peace Deal for Afghanistan". Time. March 10, 2020. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020.
- ^ Gul, Ayaz (March 11, 2020). "Taliban Reject Afghan Government's Prisoner Release Plan". Voice of America. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "Taliban rejects Afghan government's phased release of prisoners". Al Jazeera. March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "Taliban Rejects Ghani's Decree on Prisoners: Sources". Tolo News. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "Afghan gov't delays Taliban prisoner release endangering the deal". Al Jazeera. March 14, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ "Taliban rejects Afghan negotiation team in long-awaited talks". South China Morning Post. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Taliban delegation arrives in Kabul for the first time since 2001". Khaama Press. March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Qadir Sediqi, Abdul (March 31, 2020). "Taliban team arrives in Kabul to begin prisoner exchange process". Reuters. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ Hui, Lu (March 31, 2020). "Afghan prisoners swap postponed". Xinhua. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ "Afghanistan Releases Hundreds of Prisoners to Limit Coronavirus Outbreaks". Democracy Now. March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ "Afghan prisoners exchange postponed » Borneo Bulletin Online". April 1, 2020.
- ^ "UN Security Council Urges Cease-Fire in Afghanistan". New York Times. Associated Press. March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ "UN Security Council urges cease-fire in Afghanistan". Al Khaleej. April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Afghanistan and Taliban begin direct talks with aim of prisoner swap". BBC News. April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ^ "Taliban, Afghanistan prepare for prisoner swap". UPI. April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Afghanistan peace deal: Taliban walk out of 'fruitless' talks". BBC News. April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Afghan government says will release 100 Taliban prisoners". Al Jazeera. April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Afghanistan frees 100 Taliban, but the group hasn't verified". The News-Times. Associated Press. April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ "Rival Afghan leaders sign power-sharing deal". BBC News. May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^ "Loya Jirga Approves Release of 400 Taliban Prisoners". TOLO News. August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ "Afghan council to decide fate of 400 Taliban prisoners". Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Traditional council frees Taliban setting up peace talks". Associated Press. August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- ^ Ehsan Qaane (August 7, 2020). "To Release, Or Not To Release? Legal questions around Ghani's consultative loya jirga on Taleban prisoners". Afghanistan Analysts. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- ^ "Female Afghan peace negotiator wounded in assassination bid". The Guardian. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ "Prisoner release issue continues to impede intra-Afghan talks". Al Jazeera. September 9, 2020.
- ^ "Qatar to host long-awaited intra-Afghan talks from Saturday". Al Jazeera. September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Next round of Afghan peace talks to take place in Doha: official". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Afghan president says ready to discuss elections to advance talks with Taliban". Reuters. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ Satia, Priya (April 27, 2021). Felsenthal, Edward (ed.). "History's Warning for the U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan". Time. New York City. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ Stewart, Phil; Ali, Idrees; Holland, Steve (April 13, 2021). "Biden set to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11". Reuters. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-taliban-aim-present-written-peace-plan-talks-soon-next-month-spokesman-2021-07-05/
- ^ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/afghanistan-offer-power-sharing-taliban-official
- ^ https://ariananews.af/abdullah-delivers-power-sharing-plan-to-extended-troika/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
- ^ Mishal Husain, Paul Adams, Malik Mudassir, Ben Wright, Jon Sopel (August 15, 2021). Taliban seize power in Afghanistan as President flees country (Television production). London: BBC News. Retrieved August 15, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ Stephan, Maria J. (July 23, 2019). "People Power Can Boost the Afghan Peace Process". USIP. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ "India-Pakistan tug-of-war jeopardizes Afghan peace process". DW.COM.
- ^ Pandey, Shubhangi; Pant, Harsh V. "How India Came Around to Talking to the Taliban". Foreign Policy.
- ^ "Afghanistan: Peace negotiator's sojourn to entice India, Pakistan". www.aa.com.tr.
- ^ "Pakistan says India wants to spoil Afghan peace process". www.aa.com.tr.
- ^ "AP Interview: Top Afghan negotiator lauds India's support". AP NEWS. October 10, 2020.
- ^ Basu, Nayanima (October 10, 2020). "India has assured Kabul of 'active involvement' in Taliban peace talks, says Abdullah Abdullah". ThePrint.
- ^ "India calls for immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan". Reuters. April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- 2019 in Afghanistan
- 2019 in American politics
- 2019 in international relations
- Afghanistan–United States military relations
- February 2019 events in Asia
- February 2019 events in Afghanistan
- February 2019 events in the United States
- Negotiation
- Peace processes
- Presidency of Barack Obama
- Presidency of Donald Trump
- Presidency of Joe Biden
- Taliban