Afghan rivals to meet in China after US talks stall

Published October 23, 2019
"China has invited a delegation [...] to participate in the intra-Afghan dialogue," a Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said in a post on Twitter late on Tuesday.
— AP/File
"China has invited a delegation [...] to participate in the intra-Afghan dialogue," a Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said in a post on Twitter late on Tuesday. — AP/File

China is organising talks among Afghanistan's rival factions as part of efforts to end years of war after negotiations between the Taliban and the United States on the withdrawal of US forces broke down.

China, which shares a short border with Afghanistan, has been trying to encourage peace efforts and last month a Taliban delegation visited Beijing for talks with government officials.

"China has invited a delegation [...] to participate in the intra-Afghan dialogue," a Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said in a post on Twitter late on Tuesday.

The so-called intra-Afghan dialogue is aimed at reconciliation between Afghanistan's warring parties and has been running parallel to the talks between the insurgents and the United States.

Last month, US President Donald Trump halted the talks with the Taliban aimed at striking a deal for US and other foreign troops to withdraw in exchange for Taliban security guarantees, after the militants carried out a bomb attack in Kabul that killed 12 people, including a US soldier.

The United States has been hoping that its deal with the Taliban would pave the way for a ceasefire and power-sharing talks between the Afghan government and the insurgents.

The Taliban have refused to talk to the government, denouncing it a US puppet, but government officials have taken part in the intra-Afghan dialogue as private citizens.

Shaheen said the talks in China would be held on that basis.

"All participants will be attending the meeting in their personal capacity and they will share their personal opinions for solving the Afghan issue," he said.

He did not give a date for the talks and officials at China's embassy in Kabul were not available for comment.

The Afghan government was aware of China's plan to host talks but it could not comment at this stage, said deputy foreign minister, Idress Zaman.

A spokesman for former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, who attended intra-Afghan talks in Russia in February, said Karzai's office was aware of China's plan for talks and Karzai would attend if invited.

A 60-strong delegation of Afghans, including government officials and representatives of civil society groups, held a second round of intra-Afghan talks with the Taliban in July in Qatar.

Opinion

Editorial

Immunity gap
Updated 26 Apr, 2026

Immunity gap

Pakistan’s Big Catch-Up campaign showed progress but also exposed the scale of gaps in routine immunisation.
Danger on repeat
26 Apr, 2026

Danger on repeat

DISASTERS have typically been framed as acts of nature. Of late, they look increasingly like tests of preparedness...
Loose lips
26 Apr, 2026

Loose lips

PAKISTANIS have by now gained something of an international reputation for their gallows humour, but it seems that...
Lebanon truce
Updated 25 Apr, 2026

Lebanon truce

THE fact that the truce between Israel and Lebanon has been extended for three weeks should be welcomed. But there...
Terrorism again
25 Apr, 2026

Terrorism again

THE elimination of 22 terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Khyber highlights both the scale and ...
Taxing technology
25 Apr, 2026

Taxing technology

THE recent decision by the FBR’s Directorate General of Customs Valuation to increase the ‘assessed value’ of...