Ahmad Shah Massoud, the lion of Panjshir and arguably Afghanistan’s most well-known mujahideen fighter, had attempted to prevent civil war in 1995 but was killed by the Al Qaeda 6 years later.
The long-awaited intra-Afghan dialogue between Kabul & Taliban is aimed at establishing a power-sharing deal that will help end decades of war in the country.
The visit follows the US-Taliban peace deal signed in February this year, which included a prisoner swap between Kabul and Taliban in the lead up to the intra-Afghan talks.
The three-day gathering will discuss plans to release hundreds of Taliban prisoners, a controversial move that could pave the way for negotiations to end the 19-year war.
The Taliban had committed to prevent other groups, including Al Qaeda, from using Afghan soil to recruit, train or fund raise toward activities that threaten the US or its allies.
If the bounty reports are accurate, the US should consider revising sanctions on individuals at senior levels of Russian government, including Putin himself.
Reports in the New York Times and Washington Post say interrogations of captured extremists revealed Russian intelligence units paid bounties to kill US and UK troops.
The exit of US troops might not open the gates of Kabul to Taliban, but without a viable peace process it would be the prelude to more years of bloodshed and stalemate.
The recent resignations of its seniormost judges are among the most pointed institutional protests Pakistan has witnessed since the lawyers’ movement of the late 2000s.
Without a Congress revival, there can be no challenge to the BJP pan-nationally. Modi’s party is growing, and almost entirely at the cost of the Congress.
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