U.S. And Taliban In First Talks Since U.S. Exit From Afghanistan

Written by: INcontext International
Article source: www.incontextinternational.org

On Sunday 10 October, delegates from the US and the Taliban concluded talks in Qatar’s capital Doha. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on 15 August.

The US side focussed on security, women’s rights and evacuations while the Taliban called for international recognition and an end to sanctions. Both sides felt that the talks were positive, though no specific agreements or concessions have been acknowledged by either side.

The US added that the Taliban would be judged by their actions and insisted the meeting did not amount to recognition of the Taliban. The talks come as Afghanistan faces what aid workers fear is a severe humanitarian crisis.

When Kabul fell to the Taliban in August, the US froze an estimated $10bn of the country’s central bank assets and, according to the World Bank, almost 40% of Afghanistan’s GDP – national output – comes from aid. The Taliban indicated their willingness to co-operate with charitable groups in delivering humanitarian assistance which they said the US had agreed to.

However, the US has yet to formally confirm the Taliban’s claim on aid.  The Taliban ruled out co-operation with the US on tackling the activities of the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (IS-K). An IS-K suicide bomb attack on a mosque in the northern city of Kunduz on Friday 8 October, killed at least 50 people in the deadliest attack since US troops left the country. More than 100 others were injured in the blast at the Said Abad mosque, used by the minority Shia Muslim community.

From A Christian Perspective

It is encouraging to see that despite the years of animosity between the Taliban and the US, it has not taken too long for the two sides to meet and begin discussions on a way forward.

This offers hope for the Afghan people. Although there have not been many concrete steps taken or made public, it definitely appears to be a step in the right direction, and some humanitarian organisations can begin the preparation process to possibly return to Afghanistan. Christian aid organisations and crisis networks would do well to consider the opportunities this could afford them – several organisations who had been operating in the country before the takeover have indicated they are preparing to return.

Afghanistan remains a volatile nation where doors can open and shut with very little warning – Christian workers need preparation for their new season in the country and need to be supported by the larger Body of Christ for when such an opportunity presents itself. Additionally, while it remains extremely challenging to work within Afghanistan, it is important to note that in numerous countries where Afghans fled after the Taliban took control of the country, many remain in a state of limbo as their cases for asylum are considered.

Since their evacuations were rushed, it may still be quite some time before they are properly resettled, and it is during such times that they will need assistance. The Body of Christ in these host nations can really make an impact in these people’s lives now when they desperately need it.

Many host communities have offered support. In the British city of Bristol, for example, several local schools have indicated their willingness to receive 86 Afghan children to support their transition into UK society – this came after a proposal for a pop-up school in south Bristol was explored but dropped due to time limitations in getting the facility up to standard. 

Please pray with us for the following:

• For increased dialogue (and greater understanding of the different world views involved) between the Taliban and the US and for both parties to be willing to make some concessions which will ultimately benefit the Afghan people
• For Christian aid organisations and workers to be ready to respond to opportunities as they arise and to be sensitive to the Lord’s Spirit to know when to move
• For believers in countries hosting Afghan refugees to earnestly seek ways to reach out to these folk in their time of greatest need

Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. commons.wikimedia.org

DISCLAIMER
JOY! Digital is a Christian portal that shares pre-published articles by writers around the world. Each article is sourced and linked to the origin, and each article is credited with the author’s name. Although we do publish many articles that have been written in-house by JOY! journalists, we do not exclusively create our own content. Any views or opinions presented on this website are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company.