Residents of the country’s once-besieged capital had grown used to life without barricades and checkpoints. All that now seems shattered.
Author: MUJIB MASHAL
For Sri Lanka, a Long History of Violence
The small island nation is famous for its beauty, but also for a brutal three-decade civil war and sectarian tensions that still simmer.
Peace Conference Derailed as Taliban Object to Afghan Delegation
Taliban resistance to meeting a delegation with a large number of Afghan government officials forced organizers to postpone indefinitely an event seen as crucial to peace efforts.
Taliban Announce Spring Offensive, Even as Peace Talks Gain Momentum
The U.S. peace envoy called the insurgents’ announcement “reckless,” as the United Nations lifted travel bans on top Taliban leaders to facilitate the negotiations.
Once Jailed in Guantánamo, 5 Taliban Now Face U.S. at Peace Talks
The Taliban made a point of building their team around the five ex-detainees. But one insists that they have put bitterness aside to try to end the Afghan war.
A Taliban Leader, Eyeing U.S. Peace Deal, Speaks to Afghans’ Fears
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is leading the insurgents’ talks with the Americans, promised “respect” and “mercy” amid worries about a Taliban return to power.
2 Weeks of U.S.-Taliban Talks End With ‘Progress’ but No Breakthrough
American officials said they were close to an agreement on preventing terrorist attacks launched from Afghanistan, but that progress on a timeline for troop withdrawal had been slow.
U.S. Peace Talks With Taliban Trip Over a Big Question: What Is Terrorism?
In exchange for a troop withdrawal, the United States wants a commitment that Afghan soil will never be used to launch terrorist attacks. The Taliban have said terrorism has no universal definition.
Homes Lost and Lives Trampled, Rural Afghans Urgently Want Peace
Desperate for any sort of truce, many of those displaced by fighting already lack the basic rights that urban elites fear will be lost in a deal with the Taliban.
U.S. and Taliban Talks Progress Despite Attacks and Regional Tensions
Officials involved in the talks expressed optimism in Qatar, where small groups are hashing out details on issues like American troop withdrawal and Taliban guarantees on preventing terrorism.