AT News
KABUL: Defense Ministers of the NATO member countries are planned to meet this weeks to discuss the next part of their mission in Afghanistan, amid escalations in the country.
NATO has presently 10,000 soldiers in Afghanistan who are busy in training and advising mission to the Afghan army and police after their combat mission ended in December 2014. The NATO defense ministers are expected to decide whether prolong mission in Afghanistan beyond May.
The United States is expected to withdraw troops in May under a peace deal Washington signed last year with the Taliban. But the new administration in the White House says they plan to keep troops in the country after May, arguing that Taliban have not cut ties with al-Qaeda and have not reduced violence against Afghans as part of their commitments in the peace agreement.
AT News
KABUL: Afghan government-backed negotiators are set to head to Kabul for consultations on peace talks, an official said on Monday, as part of efforts to advance the crucial talks with the Taliban that has dragged for months.
Habiba Sarabi, a member of Afghanistan’s negotiating team, has said the delegation was leaving Qatar – where negotiations have been taking place – for Afghanistan to consult with senior government officials and that they will be trying to speed up the rest of the talks thereafter.
Afghanistan and Taliban have been in talks since September, and the two sides finally agreed on a 12-item agenda for the main talks after months of rift over issues of contention including the basis of talks and U.S. military pullout from Afghanistan which hindered continuation of peace process.