AFF Reports Attack On Taliban Forces In Kabul

The ministry stated that without the meaningful and equal participation of Afghan women in the Doha meeting, none of the goals of this meeting would be achieved.

The Canadian Foreign Ministry expressed dissatisfaction with the UN for not allowing figures independent of the Taliban to attend the main Doha meeting.

Canada considered the full, equal, and meaningful participation of Afghan women in the Doha meeting a fundamental principle for the women, peace, and security agenda and stated that achieving a peaceful, stable, and inclusive Afghanistan also depends on women's participation.

Like the United States, Canada sent a representative to Doha despite criticising the composition of the meeting participants.

The Canadian Foreign Ministry said it "consulted with Afghan civil society, human rights groups, and women to hear their concerns”.

The ministry stated that Canada will use its platform at this meeting to amplify the voices of those who have spoken out about human rights abuses committed by the Taliban but were not invited to the main event.

One of Canada's demands from the UN at the Doha meeting is the appointment of a special representative with strong expertise in human rights and gender issues to be appointed in due time.

Additionally, the special representative should be responsible for implementing the roadmap outlined in the 2023 report of the UN Special Coordinator and UN Security Council Resolution 2721.

Canada once again called for the lifting of restrictions on women and girls and their meaningful participation in Afghan society.

The council claimed that the third Doha meeting was held in violation of UN principles.

This council, composed of a group of Afghan politicians in exile, asserted that the absence of women and influential Afghan figures at the meeting indicates its failure.

In a statement, the council said: "Holding the third Doha meeting betrays the demands of the Afghan people and facilitates human rights violations and misogyny by giving the Taliban an opportunity to be present."

Mujahid announced on the social media platform X that he had an “important meeting" with Kabulov, focusing on expanding relations between the Taliban and Russia. Mujahid expressed gratitude for Russia's "positive and constructive stance" during the discussions.

In another meeting with Irgashev, Mujahid discussed various topics related to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, although he did not provide specific details. He noted that Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have several ongoing economic projects and that Tashkent expressed its support for the Taliban's position at the Doha meeting.

Additionally, Afghan journalists reported that Mujahid held a separate meeting with Xiaoyong.

So far, representatives from Russia, Uzbekistan, and China have not commented on these meetings.

When confronted by reporters in the lobby of the hotel where the Doha meeting will be held, Mujahid chose to leave the hotel corridor instead of engaging with the journalists.

However, Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban delegation accompanying Mujahid, responded to one of the questions by claiming that the group does have domestic legitimacy. Shaheen said, "If we didn't have domestic legitimacy, we wouldn't have been able to end the occupation."

Critics of the Taliban argue that the group took over power in Afghanistan through a "foreign conspiracy" and "intimidation via suicide attacks and bombings," and thus lacks domestic legitimacy. According to Taliban opponents, domestic legitimacy can only be achieved through a nationwide election, but the Taliban fears "the people's votes."

In a resolution, these activists warned the United Nations and country representatives that engagement with the Taliban equates to "a betrayal of human rights values."

The resolution stated, "In our opinion, any understanding with this group under the name of negotiation is an open interaction with war criminals, perpetrators of crimes against humanity, and agents of gender apartheid."

The women activists and civil society members urged the United Nations to redirect its dialogue towards the people of Afghanistan.

They also called for the criminalisation and official recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan. The resolution declared, "Women and LGBTQ+ individuals are clearly under an apartheid regime. It is the duty of the United Nations and its member states to criminalise and recognise gender apartheid in Afghanistan."

The resolution also emphasised the need to "pursue war crimes and crimes against humanity committed indiscriminately by the Taliban," stating that "sufficient documentation by domestic and international institutions has made this truth clear."

The activists called on the United Nations to impose sanctions against the Taliban government and to maintain the group's designation on the list of terrorist organisations.

The Doha meeting is set to begin today, and the main negotiations will continue until tomorrow.

Women have been excluded from the composition and agenda of the main negotiations in the third Doha meeting, leading to widespread protests by Afghan women and citizens. Several female activists have boycotted the meeting, and some invitees, including Habiba Sarabi, a member of the previous government's negotiating team, Nabila Mosleh, former Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs, and Zubaida Akbar, a human rights activist, have refused to participate in the sidelines of Doha meeting.