Dozens killed in fighting as intra-Afghan talks continue in Doha

Fierce fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban has resulted in dozens of casualties in a restive eastern province as negotiators from both warring sides pushed ahead with talks in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Ataullah Khogyani, spokesman for the Nangarhar governor, said on Thursday that Taliban militants attacked several checkpoints of Afghan forces and pro-government militiamen during a series of overnight clashes in three districts of the troubled province.

Khogyani said at least 11 Afghan security personnel were killed in the fierce fighting in Hesarak, while eight pro-government militiamen were killed in Khogyani. He said about 30 Taliban militants died in the battles.

Afghanistan's acting Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid blamed the Taliban for the latest fighting.

"There have been no attacks from our side... The enemies continue to attack and spill the blood of Afghans," he said at a ceremony.

The Afghan Defense Ministry earlier said the Taliban and government forces were still fighting in many places across the war-ravaged country.

The fighting came after peace talks commenced in Doha on Saturday following months of delay over a contentious prisoner swap between the two sides. 

First round of intra-Afghan peace talks begins

In the eyes of war-weary Afghans, the two sides should reach a compromise during the talks.

The negotiations are the result of a deal between the Taliban and the US signed in February, which also paved the way for the withdrawal of all foreign forces by May next year.

At a ceremony opening the talks on Saturday, the Afghan government called for a ceasefire, but the Taliban did not mention a truce as they came to the negotiating table.

Diplomats and delegates warned during the opening ceremony that the negotiations will be arduous and messy.

Observers said although getting both sides to the negotiating table was a major achievement, this does not mean the path to peace will be easy, especially with violence increasing around Afghanistan.

The peace talks were held one day after the 19th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States that triggered the US military invasion of Afghanistan. 

‘US envoy meets new Taliban chief negotiator’

US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad reportedly holds a meeting with the Taliban militant group’s new chief negotiator in the Qatari capital of Doha ahead of planned peace talks between the Afghan government and the group.

President Donald Trump made the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan a promise before the 2016 presidential election. In the countdown to the November presidential election, Washington has ramped up pressure to start intra-Afghan negotiations.

Under the deal with the US, the Taliban agreed to stop their attacks on US-led foreign forces in return for the US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and prisoner swap with the government.

The Afghan government was a party neither to the negotiations nor to the deal, but it has been acting in accordance with its terms, including by agreeing to free the Taliban prisoners.

Official data shows that bombings and other assaults by the Taliban have surged 70 percent since the militant group signed the deal with the United States in February.

Washington invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban-run government in 2001 on the pretext of fighting terrorism following the September 11 attacks in New York.

Trump: US will hit Taliban ‘with power never used before’

The American president threatened during a 9/11 memorial service to hit Taliban with “power the likes of which the United States has never used before.”

American forces have since remained bogged down in Afghanistan through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and now, Donald Trump.

About 2,400 US soldiers have been killed, along with unknown numbers of Afghan troops and Taliban militants. More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed or injured since 2009 when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.

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