Qatar discusses Afghanistan crisis with Germany, calls for peaceful transition of power

In view of the ongoing Afghanistan crisis, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday, August 17. Qatar and Germany discussed the Afghan situation and the necessary efforts to achieve national reconciliation and restore peaceful power transition in Kabul. The two countries exchanged opinions on the recent developments after the Taliban took over Kabul on Sunday. The Emir emphasized the importance of holding peace talks and necessary steps to achieve reconciliation and a peaceful power transition in Afghanistan, said an official statement released by the office of the Emir.

How did Qatar and Germany respond to the Taliban takeover?

From the beginning, Qatar has been involved in making peace between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Meanwhile, Qatar has hosted several rounds of negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan leaders, but the meetings have not made any significant changes. Notably, peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban is impossible due to their ideological differences and governance divide. The Qatar government has hosted many Taliban leaders, including the Taliban chief, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. The terror outfit of Afghanistan also has a political office in Qatar's capital, Doha.

On the other hand, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed concern over the Taliban's forceful siege on Kabul. The government of Germany has planned to deploy soldiers in large numbers to Afghanistan to evacuate the German citizens and Afghan nationals who are in danger.
It is pertinent to mention that the terror outfit of Afghanistan captured the palace of the President on Sunday (August 15) after the Afghani president, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country. As per media reports, the terror group is consistently in touch with the international community and intra-Afghan parties to form their regime in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, a day ago, the Qatari Emir took to Twitter and shared a post in which he was seen talking with the Taliban leader. During the meeting, he discussed making a comprehensive political settlement and restoring peace in the war-torn country, he said.

The world's reaction to the Taliban's takeover

Speaking about the world's reaction to the Taliban's conduct, the leaders of several countries, including the UK, Germany, India, among others, have expressed dismay and concern over Afghanistan's plight. With the Taliban now being the new masters of the country, the US, the UK, India, and other countries are rapidly evacuating their citizens from the war-torn country. Currently, the situation in Afghanistan is unstable and the Taliban leaders are discussing ways to form a government in the country.

IMAGE: AP
(With ANI Inputs)