Head Of Taliban Delegation For Doha Meeting Meets Norwegian Representative

According to the AFF, this "guerrilla operation" targeted a Taliban checkpoint in Bagh-e Bala area, resulting in the deaths of three Taliban members and the injury of one.

A video shared by the front on X social media platform, allegedly belonging to this incident, shows an explosion on a relatively dark and busy road.

The exact location and details of the explosion remain unclear.

Taliban have not yet commented on this regard.

AFF announced the attack after the conclusion of the first day of the UN meeting on Afghanistan, which took place on Sunday.

Concurrently, the National Resistance Front reported that its forces had attacked Taliban patrol forces in the "Qala-e-Nazer" area of Kabul on Saturday, claiming that two Taliban fighters were killed, and two others were injured.

Taliban representatives attended the Doha meeting at the invitation of the UN. However, the UN did not invite representatives from other military, political, and civil groups in Afghanistan.

This exclusion has been widely condemned by Afghan political groups and civil activists, with some calling for a boycott of the meeting.

Several prominent human rights figures and women's rights activists, including former Minister of Women's Affairs Habiba Sarabi, Zubaida Akbar, and Nabila Mosleh, declined the UN's invitation to attend side meetings at the event.

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."