US, Taliban to hold first talks since Afghanistan withdrawal

A US delegation is scheduled to meet senior Taliban representatives in Qatar on Saturday and Sunday.

This will be the first ever face-to-face meeting of Washington with the extremist outfit since US pullout from Afghanistan.

However, the meeting does not confer legitimacy or recognition to the group’s rule in Afghanistan, senior officials of Biden administration stressed.

The US delegation will include State Department’s Deputy Special Representative Tom West and top USAID humanitarian official Sarah Charles. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has spearheaded the US dialogue with Taliban for years, will not be part of the delegation.

The weekend meet will focus on US evacuation of its citizens, foreign nationals and Afghans who worked for the US military and other American allies.

Other talking points will be Taliban’s commitment to not turn the region into a hotbed for al Qaeda or other extremists and safe access for humanitarian aid to the country.

Although Taliban has not been successful in getting global recognition as a legitimate governing body, foreign diplomats have warmed up to talks.

British diplomats visited Kabul on October 5th just a day after an Iranian delegation met the Taliban leaders. Russia has indicated that it will invite the representatives of the extremist group to Moscow for international talks following the G20 summit.