Doha, 09 August 2021

A three day international meetings on Afghan peace will be held from August 10-12 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel Doha.  Russian News Agency TASS had reported in last week of July referring Special Russian Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov announcing the meeting of the Extended Troika comprising Russia, China, the United States and Pakistan would be held in Doha.

Zamir Kabulov had said that there is a plan to meet in Doha along with US Special Representative on Afghanistan Khalil Zalmay, Chinese and Pakistani counterparts.

Voice Of America reported today that two back-to-back international meetings are being convened in Qatar to press Afghanistan’s warring parties to resume peace negotiations and reach a deal before the Afghan conflict spirals out of control.

It says that the extended troika will hold consultations before meeting Doha-based Taliban and Kabul government representatives who are engaged in slow-moving intra-Afghan peace negotiations.

The extended troika will be preceded by a meeting on Tuesday of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbors. Russia, the United Nations and United States have also been invited to Tuesday’s meeting.

The goal of both discussions will be “to seek a possible common ground” between the two Afghan adversaries “at a time when (the Taliban) have started occupying provincial capitals'.

At its last meeting in April this year, the extended troika had warned the insurgents not to attempt to militarily seize control of the Afghan capital, Kabul.  “We do not support the establishment in Afghanistan of any government imposed by force,” said a joint statement issued at the time.

In another development, Taliban Spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahed shared several pictures and videos of the insurgents hoisting the Taliban flag at the main square in Taluqan, a large and important city, freeing inmates from the prison and entering the provincial administration compound.

Turkish News agency Anadolu reported, “Today, late (in the evening) the center of Takhar province (Taluqan) with all relevant offices (governor’s office, police headquarters, intelligence center, prison and all government installations) are won,” he said in a statement that also instructed fighters not to enter peoples’ homes or make arrests.

Taluqan, the capital city of northern Takhar province is next to Tajikistan.