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U.S., Taliban Peace Talks Kick Off in Qatar
The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Head of Taliban’s Qatar office in Doha, and held a fresh round of peace talks.
The United States and the Taliban are to sit down for what could be the highest level of negotiations yet in the Qatari capital, Doha, aimed at finding a solution to the nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan.
“Just finished a working lunch with Mullah Beradar and his team. First time we’ve met. Now moving on to talks,” Khalilzad said in a tweet.
The talks are expected to continue for four days and will focus on a ceasefire to end America’s longest war and the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban sources said.
Mullah Baradar will be leading the Taliban delegation in talks with Khalilzad. Omar Daudzai, Head of High Peace Council’s Secretariat said that Baradar has “intellectual independence” and that expected to take decisions soon enough.
Earlier today, Khalilzad tweeted that he has arrived in Doha to meet with the Taliban delegation and discuss peace.
“Appreciate Qatar for hosting & Pakistan in facilitating travel. Now the work begins in earnest,” he said.
The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), however, said that some Taliban members are in the UN blacklist and that cannot travel, calling on Doha and Islamabad to give clarification on their travel to the regional countries.
“This is the issue that Qatar and Pakistan should clarify. With what kind of documents they [the Taliban members] have traveled? some of them are in the UN blacklist and cannot travel,” said Sebghatullah Ahmadi, a spokesman of MoFA.
This comes as the U.S. and the Taliban have so far held at least four rounds of talks without the presence of the Afghan government’s representative. However, Kabul hopes that this round of talks could facilitate its direct talks with the Taliban.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
A passenger bus veered off the Salang Highway before dawn on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 44 others injured, the Ministry of Public Works said.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. in the Shawol area of North Salang when a passenger bus deviated from the main road due to the driver’s negligence.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said five passengers were killed and 44 others sustained injuries. He added that personnel from the Salang Maintenance and Protection Directorate promptly arrived at the scene and transferred the injured to the Khunjān clinic for medical treatment.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged drivers and passengers traveling on the Salang Highway to strictly follow the instructions of on-duty teams, observe traffic regulations, and carry warm clothing, food supplies, and snow chains to prevent similar incidents.
The ministry also noted that heavy snowfall and stormy weather have led to the temporary closure of the highway, while road maintenance teams are continuing snow-clearing operations.
Latest News
Major fire in Mandawi Kabul market contained, extensive losses prevented
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
The Ministry of Interior reported that personnel from the General Directorate of Firefighting and Emergency Response successfully prevented the further spread of a fire at Mandawi market on Kabul early Sunday morning.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the ministry, said that the fire destroyed 10 storage facilities and 8 shops. He added that initial losses are estimated at around $700,000, but timely action by firefighting personnel saved property worth approximately $2.2 million.
Qani explained that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He praised the rapid and effective containment operations, which prevented more extensive damage.
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
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