US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Afghan government negotiators converged on Doha Friday ahead of what promise to be lengthy and difficult peace talks with the Taliban after 19 years of war.
Afghan negotiations set to begin Saturday were originally slated to start in March but were repeatedly pushed back amid disputes over a prisoner exchange that included the release of hundreds of battle-hardened Taliban fighters.
“After continuous efforts of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to start direct talks with the Taliban, the peace negotiating team of the IRA left Kabul for Doha,” Nader Naderi, a member of the negotiating team, said on Twitter.
US President Donald Trump has made ending America’s involvement in Afghanistan a foreign policy priority as he faces uncertain prospects in the November 3 election.
Pompeo arrived in Doha on Friday ahead of the opening session of what he said was a “historic” opportunity to end America’s longest war.
“I’m mindful of how difficult these conversations will be among the Afghans but it’s theirs for the taking,” he told reporters onboard his flight to the Qatari capital.
Abdul Hafiz Mansour, a member of Kabul’s delegation, said his message to the Taliban would be that they “cannot succeed by force”.
“The time is ready for reconciliation now, we can resolve our problems by talking to each other,” Mansour said. Negotiations have raised hope across Afghanistan that the conflict might come to a halt.
“We are desperate for peace. The killing of Afghans should be stopped,” said Kabul shopkeeper Abdullah, who lost a relative in a bomb attack that targeted Vice President Amrullah Saleh this week.
