Taliban-Afghan government talks have started

The head of the Taliban delegation in Doha, Abdul Salam Hanafi.

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The Afghan government and the Taliban are continuing their peace talks in Doha on Sunday, with an uncertain outcome as the differences of opinion are deep between the belligerents of this country at war for almost nineteen years.

The possibility of a ceasefire, the nature of the regime, the ability to govern together: the challenges that the “interaghan dialogue” will have to take up are not lacking.

As of the inaugural ceremony, Saturday, the negotiator of the Afghan government Abdullah Abdullah presented the main request of Kabul: a "humanitarian ceasefire".

A truce that the insurgents did not mention when they arrived at the negotiating table.

The Taliban fear that a drop in violence will cause them to lose their influence.

Abdullah Abdullah nevertheless said later that the Taliban could agree to a ceasefire in exchange for a new operation to release prisoners.

5,000 insurgents have already been released by Kabul against a thousand members of the Afghan forces as part of an exchange provided for in the US-Taliban agreement signed in February, already in Doha.

The return of an Islamist regime?

Another likely point of friction in the discussions: the nature of power in the country.

Taliban chief negotiator Abdul Ghani Baradar recalled during the opening ceremony the insurgents' desire to see Afghanistan governed by an "Islamic system" where the law would be dictated by a rigorous Islam.

Conversely, the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani insists on maintaining the young republic and its Constitution, which has enshrined many rights, especially for religious minorities and women, who would be the big losers in a return to practices in force under the yoke of the Taliban (1996-2001).

During this time, in particular, religious police whipped women who wore anything other than the burqa and those accused of adultery were sometimes executed in stadiums after Friday prayers.

Ashaf Ghani called, in a statement, for “a lasting and dignified peace” preserving “the achievements of the last 19 years”.

Four women are among the 21 government negotiators, against any Taliban side.

The Taliban in a strong position

The first meeting was "very positive", however, noted Habiba Sarabi, one of the negotiators from Kabul.

"We will undoubtedly face many challenges in the talks in the coming days, weeks and months," admitted on Saturday US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who had traveled to Doha for the opening of the talks, in urging both sides to "seize the opportunity" to make peace for future generations.

Nineteen years after the international intervention led by the United States in the wake of the deadly attacks of September 11, 2001, and which ousted the Taliban from power, the war still kills dozens of people daily.

The conflict has also destroyed the country's economy, with extreme poverty affecting the vast majority of Afghans.

Many Afghans fear the return to power - partial or total - of the Taliban, who hosted the jihadist network Al-Qaeda before September 11, 2001. The Taliban have however been in a position of strength since the signing of the agreement with the United States. United, which provides for a withdrawal of American troops and the holding of this inter-Afghan dialogue.

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