Taliban to Participate in Afghan Group Talks in Moscow

The Taliban group has announced its participation in the meeting known as the Afghan Group Talks in Moscow, which is set to bring together prominent political figures from Afghanistan, including former President Hamid Karzai, while notable figures from tribal leaders and opposition are absent. According to reports, no government officials will attend this meeting, which is scheduled to last for two days starting from Tuesday, February 5. A statement released in Kabul on Monday indicated that these talks are being organized by the Afghan Community Council, established in Moscow and encompassing the Afghan community in Russia. The Russian government has denied any involvement in organizing this meeting, and the United States has yet to respond to the matter. This meeting comes at a time when efforts to end a 17-year conflict in Afghanistan have gained momentum since the appointment of Zalmay Khalilzad as the U.S. special envoy for Afghan peace talks in late summer. Mr. Khalilzad has recently held independent discussions with the Taliban in an effort to bring together all political actors in Afghanistan. On Monday, news agencies quoted Suhail Shaheen, the spokesperson for the Taliban's political office in Qatar, confirming the group's attendance at the Moscow meeting. Accordingly, the Taliban delegation, led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, will travel to Moscow. The Taliban considers Ashraf Ghani, the current President of Afghanistan, a U.S. puppet and has so far refused to engage in talks with his government. Reports indicate that, in addition to Hamid Karzai, at least 38 delegations sent from Kabul consist of prominent figures from the previous Afghan government. Among the participants in this meeting is Hanif Atmar, a potential presidential candidate who resigned from his position as Ashraf Ghani's security advisor last summer. Additionally, former Vice President Mohammad Yunus Qanuni and former Balkh Province governor Mohammad Noor are among the other political figures present at this meeting. The Moscow meeting has faced criticism from Ashraf Ghani's office, which accused the participating political figures of 'power-seeking.' In this context, Fazel Fazli, a senior advisor to Mr. Ghani, described the organization of this meeting as 'regrettable' in a tweet.