Afghanistan

Long-awaited “inter-Afghan” peace talks between the Taliban and the U.S.-backed government in Kabul began this weekend, but continued violence across Afghanistan threatened to overshadow the historic gathering. Afghan government representatives said that in the hours immediately before and after the peace negotiations formally began in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday, the Taliban launched a series of…

The Afghan government and the Taliban are finally coming to the table, after repeated delays. But the violence continues, and the challenges are vast.Abdullah Abdullah, head of the government’s delegation to the peace talks, before leaving for Qatar from Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, on Friday. He said he hoped for “the beginning of a big transformation.”Credit...High…

The U.S.-backed Afghan government’s decision to free hundreds of Taliban prisoners this week has breathed new life into hopes for substantive peace talks with the militants, ending months of infighting as U.S. forces continued preparations to go home. The release Tuesday of as many as 900 Taliban prisoners signaled a potentially major breakthrough in relations…

The Trump administration’s hope for a lasting cease-fire in Afghanistan has dipped to a low point this week after a vicious attack on a Kabul maternity ward that shocked the world and led Afghan government officials to publicly declare that they have all but given up trying to make peace with the Taliban. While the…