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Pakistan welcomes opening of Taliban office

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 16:31
Pakistan on Tuesday welcomed the Taliban's decision to open an office in Qatar and the subsequent announcement by the US that it will launch talks with the insurgents this week. The Islamic militia opened a political office in the Qatari capital of Doha with the aim of opening dialogue with the international community and Afghan groups. The United States immediately welcomed the decision and senior officials said they hoped to meet the Taliban shortly, despite the raft of differences between the two sides.

US to meet with Taliban as militants open Qatar office

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 14:11
US officials said Tuesday that they hoped to meet the Taliban within days, after the insurgents opened an office in Qatar and the Afghan government took control of nationwide security from NATO. The Islamist militia, which has been fighting against US-led NATO troops and the Afghan government for 12 years, broke off initial contacts with the Americans last year and have refused to negotiate with Kabul.

Afghan Taliban opens Qatar office as US announces talks

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 12:30
The Taliban opened a political office in Doha on Tuesday, as Washington said it hoped to begin talks with its Afghan foe in the Qatari capital "in a couple of days." The group, which has waged a deadly insurgency against US-led troops ever since its government in Kabul was overthrown after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, pledged it would never allow Afghan territory to be used to threaten a foreign country.

Taliban open Qatar office, US signals meetings to begin

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 12:01
The Taliban on Tuesday opened an office in Qatar in a bid to start "dialogue with the world" as US officials said they hoped to meet the insurgents within days, after the Afghan government took control of nationwide security from NATO. The Islamist militia, which has been fighting against US-led NATO troops and the Afghan government for 12 years, broke off initial contacts with the Americans -- restricted to a prisoner swap -- last year and have long refused to negotiate with Kabul.

'Taliban is ready to talk peace' with Afghan state: Afghan official

June 18, 2013 11:31
By Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban is willing to consider peace talks with the Afghan state following secret discussions, a senior Afghan official said on Tuesday, in what may be the first significant step towards an end to the long-running war. "Peace talks will certainly take place between the Taliban and the High Peace Council," said the senior official, referring to the body created by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2010 to broker peace with the insurgency.

Afghan envoys to travel to Qatar for Taliban talks

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 06:31
Afghan government envoys are to travel to Qatar to try to open peace talks with the Taliban on a possible deal ending 12 years of conflict, President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday. Karzai's announcement was a boost for the moribund peace process, which has made little ground despite mounting pressure as the withdrawal of 100,000 NATO troops from Afghanistan looms next year. "Our High Peace Council will go to Qatar, they will talk to the Taliban," the president said at a ceremony marking the final handover of security responsibilities from NATO to Afghan forces.

Taliban bomber kills 15 at top Afghan court

Agence France-PresseJune 11, 2013 13:33
A Taliban suicide car bomber on Tuesday targeted staff at Afghanistan's top court, killing 15 civilians and wounding 40 others in the second attack in two days in the heavily fortified capital, police said. Women and children were among those killed and injured in the powerful explosion at the entrance to the Supreme Court, near the US embassy as buses waited to take court staff home at the end of the working day, officials said. The Taliban claimed responsibility and threatened further attacks on the judiciary if it continued to sentence to death members of its militia.

Taliban claim Kabul suicide attack that kills 14

Agence France-PresseJune 11, 2013 11:41
Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents on Tuesday claimed a suicide car bombing that targeted staff of the Supreme Court and killed 14 civilians in Kabul. The militants said the attack was carried out to punish Afghan judges for sentencing to death Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government. "Today's attack was a warning should they (judges) continue to give tyrannical verdicts and intimidate (our) countrymen," said a copy of their statement sent to AFP.

Taliban bomber kills 14 at top Afghan court

Agence France-PresseJune 11, 2013 11:40
A Taliban suicide car bomber on Tuesday targeted staff at Afghanistan's top court, killing 14 civilians and wounding 38 others in the second attack in two days in the heavily fortified capital, police said. Women and children were among those killed and injured in the powerful explosion at the entrance to the Supreme Court, near the US embassy as buses waited to take court staff home at the end of the working day, officials said. The Taliban claimed responsiblity and threatened further attacks on the judiciary if it continued to sentence to death members of its militia.

Taliban beheads two boys in southern Afghanistan

June 10, 2013 17:32
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Taliban fighters beheaded two boys aged 10 and 16 as a warning to villagers not to cooperate with the Afghan government, local officials said. The boys, named Khan and Hameedullah, had travelled to Afghan army and police checkpoints near their home in the southern province of Kandahar, scrounging for leftover food to bring to their families, the officials said.
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