Top Afghan peace broker, ex-president meet Taliban governor in Kabul

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – Afghanistan’s top peace broker Abdullah Abdullah and former President Hamid Karzai met the Taliban governor of the capital Kabul on Saturday.

Abdullah and Karzai told Taliban official Abdul Rahman Mansour that “in order to return to normality in the capital Kabul, it is imperative that citizens of the capital feel safe and secure.”

“We discussed the security of the citizens of Kabul, & reiterated that protecting the life, property & dignity of the citizens of the capital should be prioritized,” Abdullah said on Twitter.

Abdullah has been leading talks with the Taliban on behalf of the now defunct government of Ashraf Ghani, the ousted president who has fled the country.

“Mansour assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of Kabul,” he added.

Banks, forex markets, and most public and private businesses remain closed across Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power by seizing the capital on Aug. 15.

The Taliban have sought to persuade citizens to return to work, announcing a general “amnesty” for all earlier this week.

Sources told Anadolu Agency that the Taliban are engaged in consultations on a future government set-up, while talks are also continuing to establish their control over Panjshir, the only province that has not fallen to the group.

Karzai and Abdullah, a native of the northeastern province, also met “elders, religious scholars, representatives, and commanders” from Panjshir in Kabul on Saturday.

“We discussed the current developments in the country, & ways of supporting peace & stability,” Abdullah said in another tweet.

Former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who hails from Panjshir, has taken refuge in the region and called for resistance against Taliban rule.

A former intelligence chief with known deep ties with the US' CIA, Saleh has recently blasted Washington and NATO for failing Afghans.