After decades of talks, Afghanistan finally broke ground last month on a $7.5 billion gas pipeline that will run through areas controlled by the Taliban . President Ashraf Ghani last week presented his most comprehensive peace offering yet to the Taliban, which controls or contests nearly half the country. The conflict killed or wounded more than 10,000 civilians last year, according to the United Nations. In January, the Taliban claimed attacks in the capital that killed and wounded hundreds. Also “the Taliban could well change its mind.”Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are also at a nadir amid mutual allegations that both nations support terror groups striking each other.

Source: Economic Times March 09, 2018 05:03 UTC