Representatives from the United States and the Taliban continued their closed-door talks for a second day in Doha, with no information released on the contents of their discussions.
Experts assert that the US is seeking an agreement and engagement with the Taliban to accomplish its goals, while the Taliban is seen as using the dialogue to further consolidate its rule.
“On the surface, they show that the issues of human rights, women’s rights, the right to work, the right to education, and the creation of a comprehensive government are among the main issues, but let’s not forget that it is their interests for the US, whether their interests are in peace in the region or disrupting order,” said Shukria Barakzai, the former ambassador of Afghanistan in Norway.
Barna Salehi, an expert in international relations, stated, “The United States of America and the Taliban are seeking to reach an agreement so that they can at least use the influence of the other if it does not end at the recognition of the Taliban’s emirate; the Taliban for the continuation of their rule and the United States for its interests and purposes from the presence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the region.”
Meanwhile, the Purple Saturdays Movement, a movement of women in Ghazni, Balkh and Takhar provinces, in response to the Doha talks, called on the international community not to lift sanctions imposed on the Taliban, provide funds to the group, or officially recognize them.
“We ask the country of Qatar and its allies not to interfere in the interests of the Taliban in the affairs of Afghanistan and not whitewash the Taliban with this kind of meeting. The international community’s blackmailing and giving death to this group must stop. We ask the international community to choose an alternative to the Taliban government,” said a member of the Purple Saturdays movement of Afghanistan.
Simultaneously, the coalition of Afghan women’s protest movements claimed that some women aligned with the Taliban held a meeting in Doha last week, attempting to whitewash the group. However, further details about the meeting were not provided.
“No agenda or information from this meeting was clear. Except to judge from the generalities that this meeting was about consolidating the interests of Taliban and its continuation and there was nothing else in this conference,” said Monisa Mubariz, the head of Afghanistan’s powerful women’s movement.
The duration of the Doha talks remains uncertain. The Taliban stated that they are discussing the release of frozen Afghan funds, lifting of sanctions, and alleged violations of Afghan airspace by the United States. Additionally, the US has prioritized Afghanistan’s economic stability, humanitarian support for its citizens, and appropriate treatment of all, including women, in the discussions.
