Afghanistan: Abdullah Abdullah, Hamid Karzai meet Qatar envoy, discuss 'peace efforts'

After being inducted into the 12-member Taliban council, Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday held a meeting with the Special Envoy of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar. The Taliban announced the senior leader of the ousted Afghanistan government as a part of their 12-member Taliban council for Afghanistan on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Abdullah Abdullah shared details of his meeting with the Qatar envoy Mutlaq Al Qahtani. He stated that the two sides had exchanged views on peace and stability and an inclusive government in Afghanistan. Apart from Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai also met with the Qatari Special Representative for Afghanistan on Wednesday. Karzai appreciated Qatar's efforts and cooperation in the peace process, according to a statement by Karzai's office.

Abdullah in 12-member Taliban council

The Taliban, on Tuesday, included the names of the former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, the chief of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah and the Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar into the Taliban’s 12-member council, which will administer the military conflict nation. Abdullah was once Afghanistan’s chief executive in a power-sharing agreement with Ashraf Ghani before the Taliban entered the capital and Ghani fled. Seven nominees have already been decided on out of the 12 members, a source close to senior Taliban circles told Russian news agency Sputnik. 

The source close to senior Taliban circles was quoted by ANI saying, "Afghanistan would be governed by a 12-member council, with the exception of the president and the emirate. So far, the council has agreed on Abdul Ghani Baradar, [son of Taliban founder] Mullah Yaqub, [high-ranking member of the Haqqani network terrorist group] Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Hamid Karzai, [ex-Afghan Interior Minister] Hanif Atmar and [the leader of the Party of Islam] Gulbuddin Hekmatyar." 

The announcements follow Taliban's 'President face' Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar's visit to Kabul. Baradar, who had been part of the Doha talks, has reached Kabul from Kandahar and will hold talks with Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah for a 'peaceful transition' of power on Saturday. However, the Taliban has announced that no new government will be formed until the last US soldier leaves Afghanistan.

(With Agency Inputs)