After first meeting in Doha, Taliban says US to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

A United States delegation held its first meeting with Taliban representatives in Doha, nearly two months after the terror group assumed control over Afghanistan on Sunday. The meeting between the two sides focused on security and terrorism concerns as well as the safe passage for US citizens, other foreign nationals, and Afghan allies, State Department's spokesperson Ned Price said. The delegation has reiterated that the Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words, Price revealed. 

The official statement by the US State Department read, "On October 9 and 10, an interagency delegation traveled to Doha, Qatar to meet with senior Taliban representatives. The U.S. delegation focused on security and terrorism concerns and safe passage for U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals and our Afghan partners, as well as on human rights, including the meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society."

Humanitarian assistance to Afghan civilians was also on the agenda of the Doha talks. The two sides discussed the United States' provision of robust humanitarian assistance, directly to the Afghan people, as per Price. "The discussions were candid and professional with the U.S. delegation reiterating that the Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words," the statement added.

What the Taliban demanded

The US has agreed to provide humanitarian aid to a desperately poor Afghanistan on the brink of an economic disaster, while refusing to give political recognition to the country's new Taliban rulers, the Taliban said. The statement came at the end of the first direct talks between the former foes since the chaotic withdrawal of US troops at the end of August.

As per reports, the Taliban described the talks as a push for a "new page" in relations between the two nations and demanded that Afghanistan's foreign assets be unfrozen. Taliban has reportedly also asked Washington to not violate Afghanistan's airspace and refrain from interfering in their internal affairs. As per the Afghan Foreign Ministry, the US has pledged to provide Afghanistan with COVID-19  vaccines.

"The delegations of the Afghan government and the United States discussed turning the page on their relationship in Qatar as well as humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and the implementation of the Doha peace agreement," Sputnik quoted Afghanistan's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as saying.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has ruled out any possible cooperation with the United States to fight Islamic State terrorism. Taliban political spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told AP that there would be no cooperation with the US on containing the increasingly active IS group in Afghanistan.

(With Agency Inputs)