The first anticipated meeting between the Biden administration and the Taliban ... the American envoy is visiting Afghanistan and Qatar, seeking a settlement and a ceasefire.

It is expected that the first announced meeting will take place between the administration of US President Joe Biden and the Taliban within the framework of a tour of the US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad that includes Afghanistan and Qatar.

Seeking to revive peace negotiations between the movement and the Kabul government for a comprehensive settlement of the Afghan war.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Afghanistan quoted a government source as saying that Khalilzad arrived in the capital, Kabul, and met with the head of the reconciliation committee, Abdullah Abdullah.

The two sides discussed peace talks and ways to accelerate them, and the new US administration's review of the peace agreement signed in Doha, as well as the second round of talks in Doha, and the reduction of violence.

Khalilzad is also scheduled to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Yesterday, Sunday, the State Department revealed the tour, which will be undertaken by Khalilzad, and will include other countries in addition to Afghanistan and Qatar.

The ministry said - in a statement - that the envoy’s discussions would address work to achieve a just and lasting political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan.

The statement did not specify dates for the US envoy’s visits, nor did it indicate the location of the upcoming meeting between him and the Taliban.

This move comes amid mutual accusations between the movement and the Afghan government about the escalation of violence in recent times.

While Kabul held the Taliban responsible for the violence, accusing it of not adhering to the Doha Peace Agreement concluded a year ago;

The movement denies its involvement in the wave of violence, especially the bombings in Afghanistan almost daily over the past months, and says that these actions are orchestrated with the aim of preventing the withdrawal of foreign forces, which is supposed to happen next May under the Doha agreement concluded between the Taliban and the administration of former President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration announced that it was reviewing the peace agreement, and in light of this review it would decide whether to withdraw its remaining 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan by the agreed date.

However, statements by US officials and other countries participating in the forces in Afghanistan cast doubts about the possibility of the withdrawal taking place on the date stipulated in the peace agreement.

In this context, Germany decided to extend the mission of its forces in Afghanistan, at a time when Kabul says that the withdrawal of foreign forces must be calculated.

Warning of failure of peace

In a statement issued yesterday on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the Doha Agreement, the Taliban declared their commitment to implementing all of its provisions, and warned that any attempt to search for an alternative would lead to the failure of peace efforts.

The movement called on the United States to fulfill its obligations under the provisions of the Doha Agreement, which it said is the practical means to achieve peace.

It also renewed its demands to release its remaining prisoners from the Afghan government, and to delete their names from the United Nations blacklist, stressing that it would speed up direct peace negotiations between the Afghans.

Two delegations of the Taliban and the Afghan government met a week ago in Doha, and agreed to continue negotiations.

Earlier, and amid the atmosphere of mistrust prevailing between Kabul and the Taliban, the Afghan president said that the movement sought to overthrow the government, adding that in reality it had only stopped firing with foreign forces.

The Doha Agreement signed on February 29, 2020, stipulated the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan within 14 months.

The agreement includes the abolition of US sanctions imposed on Taliban leaders, and an exchange of prisoners between the movement and the Kabul government.

Under the agreement, the Taliban pledge to prevent the use of Afghan lands by any individual or group against the security of the United States and its allies.