Iranian and Taliban officials met in Tehran on Wednesday and accused the U.S. of provoking the continuation of war in Afghanistan, Iranian State TV reported. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran´s Supreme National Security Council, told visiting Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar that the U.S. seeks to continue the war in neighboring Afghanistan.

Abdullah said the opportunity for peace should not be wasted, and concessions could be made if the Taliban committed to an agreement. Chairman the High Council of National Reconciliation (HCNR) Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday said that several opportunities for bringing peace in the country have been lost, stating that the country can’t afford the current opportunity for peace to be […]

The Ministry of Defense said on Thursday that 32 people including 20 civilians, were released from a Taliban prison in northern Baghlan province during a special operation by the commandos force.

The Taliban say their political delegation met with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani and other officials during its visit to Tehran. A delegation led by Mullah Abdul GhaniBaradar, head of the Taliban’s Qatar office, arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran on Tuesday.

Security officials on Thursday claimed 52 Taliban militants have been killed and 16 others wounded during ongoing operations in three districts of southern Kandahar province. The operations are underway in Babran area of Arghandab, Khyber mountain of Panjwai district and Yaro Kala area of Dand district.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed Wednesday night that the Biden administration will retain the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad – who has for the past two years been the driving force behind the Afghan peace process.

Afghanistan has been ranked 165 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which was released on Thursday.

Al-Qaeda is gaining strength in Afghanistan under Taliban’s protection, alleges the US Treasury Department. Despite signing a peace deal with the US in February last year, the Taliban has not yet severed ties with Al-Qaeda, the Treasury Department claimed in a new report.

President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday discussed the peace process related matters with his predecessor Hamid Karzai, High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) chairman Dr Abdullah Abdullah and Hezb-i-Da’wat party leader Abdul RabRasoolSayyaf.

Nader Nadery, a member of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s (IRA) peace talks team says the negotiating teams have not held any formal meetings in the last nine days. Nadery stated in a tweet that the Taliban has not been willing to engage in the peace talks.