The Taliban made overtures to India on a restive Sunday in Kabul that remained the scene of hectic talks. The already-tense environment within the city was punctuated by an explosion that the Taliban said was a US attack on a terrorist heading for the airport.
A shortwhile before the airstrike, the US State Department urged Americans near the Kabul airport to right away leave the world thanks to a selected threat. In a clear US-Taliban coordination, the airstrike targeted a possible bomber during a car but locals said a toddler was also hit.
India was mentioned at a media interaction by Taliban senior leader Sher Muhammad Stanekzai, who is believed to possess met Indian interlocutors earlier in Doha as a part of back-channel talks. The Taliban, he said, wished to possess good political and economic ties with India, including the air corridor that was operational under the previous regime.
In another placatory signal to New Delhi , Taliban officials visited the Salma Dam which was built by India. The MEA didn’t react to the present or the sooner observation by Taliban spokesman that Pakistan and India should resolve their issues bilaterally.
India is poised to play a serious role at the UNSC because it heads its Taliban sanctions committee, whose nod is crucial to delist a number of the group’s top members.
In fact, a number of the Taliban’s negotiations team couldn’t visit Doha thanks to the resultant ban on international travel. Also, the IMF, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and therefore the US Treasury are unlikely to transfer funds to men listed as terrorists by the committee headed by senior Indian diplomat TS Tirumurti.
India also will preside over the UNSC’s deliberations on Monday when it considers a joint Anglo-French proposal for a secure zone in Kabul to assist evacuation.
As the August 31 withdrawal date for foreign forces neared, most nations bound up their evacuation operations while the Taliban held talks with Qatar and Turkey to run the airport’s security and operations
The Taliban also held talks in Kabul with the resistance within the Panjshir Valley led by Ahmad Massoud.
Taliban’s elusive leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhund was reported to be in Kandahar for talks with Taliban leaders on government formation. The Taliban declared some Cabinet-level appointments but is yet to announce the top of state . The Taliban have said subsequent regime are going to be inaugurated in its spiritual heartland of Kandahar.