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NATO urges Taliban to Keep promises and reduce violence
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the Taliban to “keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence.”
In a meeting with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday, NATO Chief stated that Doha talks offer the best opportunity to gain peace in Afghanistan.
“Discussed with Ambassador Khalilzad the situation in Afghanistan. The Doha talks offer the best chance for peace,” said Stoltenberg noted that, “but Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence.”
Discussed with Amb. Khalilzad @US4AfghanPeace the situation in #Afghanistan. The Doha talks offer the best chance for peace, but Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence. #NATO remains committed to #Afghanistan’s security. pic.twitter.com/3arOsop9gi
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) October 15, 2020
Stoltenberg assured NATO’s support to stability in the country. He stated: “NATO remains committed to Afghanistan’s security.”
Meanwhile, Zalmay Khalilzad said Thursday night that the US and the Taliban have agreed to “re-set actions by strictly adhering to the implementation of all elements of the US-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made.”
“This means reduced numbers of operations. At present too many Afghans are dying. With the re-set, we expect that number to drop significantly,” said Khalilzad in a series of tweets.
“Attacks have been on the rise in recent weeks – threatening the peace process and alarming the Afghan people and their regional and international supporters,” he added
1/4 Following several meetings General Miller and I had with the Taliban, we agreed to re-set actions by strictly adhering to implementation of all elements of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) October 15, 2020
“We will do our part and will monitor implementation actively. All parties must deliver on their responsibilities. We thank our international partners for their assistance and support,” US Envoy tweeted.
This comes as the Taliban launched coordinated attacks on Saturday night in parts of southern Helmand province including the Lashkargah city.
The heavy clashes between the Afghan forces and the Taliban militants have forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
According to UNAMA, at least 35,000 people have been displaced due to the clashes in the province.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
Kyrgyzstan has completed major construction work on its territory under the regional energy project CASA-1000, according to a recent report by the Eurasian Stabilization and Development Fund (ESDF). With key infrastructure now in place, further progress on the project depends on the completion of construction in Afghanistan, which is expected by the end of 2027.
The report notes that Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan have largely finalized their respective infrastructure components and are now awaiting the completion of the Afghan section before moving forward with full operational stages.
The CASA-1000 project, valued at approximately $1.2 billion, aims to establish a high-voltage electricity transmission line linking Central and South Asia. The initiative is designed to enable Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to export surplus hydropower during summer months, when electricity demand rises in Pakistan and Afghanistan due to increased use of cooling systems.
Construction work in Afghanistan was suspended in August 2021, at a stage when only about 18 percent of transmission structures had been installed, although more than 90 percent of equipment had already been delivered to the country. Following extended negotiations and security assurances, work on the Afghan section resumed in December 2024.
ESDF experts say that once construction in Afghanistan is completed, participating countries will be able to begin technical testing of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system. A full launch of the regional energy corridor is expected by the end of 2027, marking a significant milestone in regional energy integration between Central and South Asia.
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