Afghan government and Taliban start talks Can a ceasefire be realized? September 13 4:26
The first talks between the government and the insurgent Taliban will begin in Qatar in the Middle East for peace in Afghanistan, which will continue to fight after the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. It will be the focus.
In Doha, the capital of Qatar, delegations from both the Afghan government and the Taliban rebels gathered on the 12th to begin talks for the first time to achieve peace.
The talks came to fruition following a peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban in February, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from the United States attending the ceremony held prior to the talks.
In this, Pompeo said, "I was able to reach this day at the expense of many difficulties and sacrifices. The road is not straightforward, but if I take this opportunity, peace will come." I showed expectations for the realization of.
In Afghanistan, the terrorist attacks in 2001 triggered the withdrawal of troops from the United States, which continues its military operations, following a peace agreement, while battles between the Afghan government and the Taliban continue in various parts of the country.
Under these circumstances, discussions will be held with the aim of ending the battle, and it is expected that discussions will be held on new political systems, etc., and the focus will be on whether both sides can come together and reach an agreement toward the realization of a ceasefire.
Background from the formation of the Taliban to the peace agreement with the United States
The Taliban was formed in southern Afghanistan in 1994, amid the civil war that followed the withdrawal of former Soviet troops.
The Taliban means "theological student" who studies Islam, and was formed by students who were educated at the Islamic Theological Seminary in neighboring Pakistan with the aim of "establishing a true Islamic state."
Two years later, in 1996, he conquered the capital Kabul and established a government, taking control of most of the country, while rapidly expanding its power.
In addition to taking a policy that interpreted Islam extremely rigorously and restricting the employment and education of women, in 2001, the Great Buddha of Bamyan, a world-famous Buddhist archaeological site, was described as "idol worship is contrary to Islamic teachings." It was blown up and received international criticism.
In the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Taliban administration collapsed as the U.S. military and others embarked on a military operation to Afghanistan after refusing to hand over the identity of Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the international terrorist organization Al Qaeda. did.
However, after the collapse of the administration, some Taliban forces regained their stance centered on southern Kandahar, where they were based, and lurked in the border area with neighboring Pakistan, increasing their fighting capabilities.
Then, in 2014, when most of the international troops stationed in Afghanistan withdrew, they regained their power to take advantage of the gap and began to repeat terrorism and attacks.
Meanwhile, in 2013, the Taliban opened an office in Doha, the capital of Qatar in the Middle East, to serve as an external contact, and continued to make underwater contact with the Obama administration in the United States for peace in Afghanistan. Since 2018, we have been discussing peace talks with the Trump administration, and in February, we signed a peace agreement including the complete withdrawal of US troops stationed in Afghanistan.
Kabul Citizens Expectations and Anxieties
Citizens of the capital Kabul expressed expectations and anxiety about the start of talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, an insurgent insurgent, for peace.
Of these, a self-employed man in his thirties said, "We welcome peace talks. As the fighting continues, many people have lost their jobs and are evacuating overseas, mainly young people. I hope that the discussions will go well so that we can change as soon as possible. "
A male office worker in his twenties said, "We have long been sacrificed by conflict and violence, and the country has been hit hard. Now is the time for the government and the Taliban to unite and cause bloodshed. I want you to stop it and realize peace. "
On the other hand, many women were concerned about the reinstatement of the Taliban.
Among them, a woman in her thirties said, "Women's participation in peace talks is low and we are concerned about the whereabouts of the talks. The Taliban once restricted women's right to employment and education. So I'm very worried that my rights will be infringed again. "