Talks will begin a day after the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks which led the US to invade Afghanistan and topple the Taliban regime that had been sheltering Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. A comprehensive peace deal could take years, and will depend on the willingness of both sides to tailor their competing visions for the country. The Taliban, who have refused to recognize President Ashraf Ghani's government, will push to reshape Afghanistan into an Islamic "emirate." Doha invited the Taliban to open a political office in 2013 and helped broker February's troop withdrawal deal between Washington and the Taliban. The arrangement has led to tense moments like when the Taliban raised their flag above the office, sparking fury in Kabul.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 12, 2020 01:30 UTC