U.S. Officials Report 'Significant Progress' in Talks with Taliban

The U.S. Secretary of State and the special representative for Afghanistan state that there has been 'significant progress' in the latest round of negotiations with the Taliban. Mike Pompeo mentioned on January 26 that Zalmay Khalilzad, his special representative for Afghanistan, has reported 'significant progress in negotiations with the Taliban for reconciliation in Afghanistan.' Pompeo added that Washington is 'serious about advancing peace, preventing Afghanistan from becoming a space for terrorism, and bringing U.S. forces home.' He also noted that the U.S. is collaborating with the Afghan government 'and all stakeholders' to ensure 'the independence, prosperity, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.' These remarks come after Khalilzad tweeted about 'important progress' in the negotiations with the Taliban. The latest round of talks between the U.S. special representative and the Taliban began on January 26. On the same day, the Taliban attacked Afghan security forces at a military base in Maidan Wardak, killing dozens of Afghan security personnel. Khalilzad tweeted on Saturday that after six days of discussions in Doha, the capital of Qatar, he was heading to Afghanistan for consultations. He described the recent meetings as 'far more effective than before' and stated, 'We have made significant progress on critical issues.' The U.S. representative also added that 'until we reach an agreement on everything, no agreement has been reached on anything,' and 'everything' must be based on negotiations among Afghans and a comprehensive ceasefire. Meanwhile, Taliban sources told Reuters that the negotiations between the two sides have 'concluded' and that agreements have been reached, including 'the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan within 18 months.' The U.S. has not yet confirmed this. The U.S. wants to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a base for attacks against it, its interests, and its allies. A senior Taliban official told Reuters that they oppose any actions that would lead to terrorist attacks against the U.S. from Afghan soil. Nevertheless, Zalmay Khalilzad emphasized in one of his tweets that 'there are still issues that need to be resolved.' Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, also stated that while progress has been made, reports about an agreement on a ceasefire and talks with the Kabul central government 'are not correct.' The Taliban spokesman's statement indicated that until the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country is confirmed, 'progress on other issues is impossible.' Reuters reported that further negotiations are expected to take place in February (next month) in Qatar. The Taliban has so far refrained from direct negotiations with officials of the central government. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks and ousted the Taliban from power. The Afghanistan war is the longest war that the U.S. has been involved in. The Taliban, known for its extremist ideology, Salafism, and jihadism, currently controls large parts of Afghanistan.