U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has called on Afghan leaders to end their standoff over a disputed presidential election and seize a “historic opportunity” for peace.
Marvin Weinbaum counts disagreements between Afghan elites, the Taliban’s unwillingness to follow through on vague counterterrorism and power-sharing promises, and the possibility of Washington walking away from its longest war as several of the major obstacles to lasting peace in Afghanistan.
Journalist Marvi Sirmed, a leading Pakistani rights campaigner, says extremists, fanatics, and mobsters cannot stop their peaceful protests.
Author Hussain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, believes the recent deal between the U.S. and the Taliban provides a real opportunity for peace in the region.
Asadullah Khalid, a former spy chief and current Afghan defense minister, says his country’s forces are committed to preserving the gains of the past two decades.
Nicholas Kay, NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, says that both the Afghan security forces and civilians need to see a significant reduction in violence as part of an imminent peace deal between the Taliban and the United States.
RFE/RL interviewed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, on February 2. He discussed U.S. policies on Central Asia and China's oppression of minorities, but also journalistic freedom in the world.
As Afghan citizens vote for president on September 28 from a list of 15 candidates, analysts say the race is likely to be between the current president, Ashraf Ghani, and the country's chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah.
Days before Afghans go to the polls in a crucial presidential election, incumbent Ashraf Ghani has said he does not plan to seek another coalition administration.
The U.S. peace envoy seeking to negotiate an end to the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan said a presidential election slated for September 28 is likely to go ahead if a deal is not finalized.
U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has described the latest round of U.S.-Taliban peace talks as the "most production" ever, telling RFE/RL that “a lot of progress” has been made.
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