Afghanistan peace talks in istanbul postponed, says Turkey

Turkey said an international peace conference on Afghanistan scheduled for April 24 in Istanbul has been postponed until mid-May.

As per reports, the peace conference between the Afghan government and the Taliban that had been planned to take place in Turkey on Saturday has been postponed, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said,

“We decided to postpone the talks” until celebrations for the holy month of Ramadan ended in mid-May.

The postponement comes after US President Joe Biden last week announced the withdrawal of all American forces from Afghanistan before this year’s 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Mevlut Cavusoglu further added,

“We believed it would be useful to postpone” after consultations with Doha, the UN, and Washington. “There’s no need to rush.”

Taliban Threatens US Over Delaying In Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan

The Taliban had threatened Washington in March 2021 with dire consequences if it does not abide by the May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan.

The Taliban issued the warning during a press conference in Moscow, according to the reports.

The administration of US President Joe Biden says it is reviewing an agreement reached with the Taliban with the administration of former US President Donald Trump.

Biden told ABC News in an interview that May 1 could be the deadline, but that it would not be long if the deadline was extended.

Sohail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban’s negotiating team, told reporters that “they have to go and the withdrawal of US troops beyond May 1 would be a violation of the agreement.”

“And we will not violate the agreement, which will result in a backlash,” he said.

Member Sohail Shaheen did not elaborate on what the response would be, but in compliance with the agreement he signed in February 2020, the Taliban did not attack US or NATO forces, not even the last few.

There has also been an increase in unannounced bombings and targeted killings over the months.

“We hope that this will not happen, they will give up and we will focus on a solution to the Afghan problem and a peaceful settlement so that a political roadmap can be reached and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire can be achieved,” the Taliban leader said.

He also confirmed that the Taliban stood by the demands of the Islamic government.

Sohail Shaheen did not elaborate on the structure of the Islamic government.

He also did not say whether the Taliban would accept the election but stressed that President Ashraf Ghani’s government did not live up to his definition of an Islamic government.

It should be noted that along with Russia, China, and Pakistan, the United States has also demanded an immediate ceasefire from the warring parties in Afghanistan.

In addition, a Taliban delegation is meeting in Moscow with the Afghan government to discuss future plans for ending the war in Afghanistan.