The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan will visit the Taliban’s headquarters in Doha, Qatar amid a surge in violence in the country, in an effort to continue peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government.
Zalmay Khalilzad is expected to meet with the negotiating teams from both sides, according to the State Department, and is expected to “press both sides to immediately stem the recent increase in violence that Afghans across the country are being forced to bear.”
“Too many Afghans are dying,” the department said in a statement. “The sides urgently need an agreement on a reduction of violence leading to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.”
On Tuesday, a suicide bomb went off near a police special forces base in eastern Afghanistan, which ignighted a fire fight with authorities. The gunfight was followed by a second suicide bombing that killed three civilians and four militants, Afghan officials said.
The department said that Mr. Khalilzad, who has led U.S. efforts in the ongoing negotiations, “will press the two negotiating teams to accelerate their efforts and agree to a political roadmap that ends Afghanistan’s 40-year-long war.”
“The sides must move past procedure and into substantive negotiations,” it said. “American and international assistance remains available to all sides.”
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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