The new government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is looking for allies.
On Sunday, he received the Qatari foreign minister, Mohammed ben Abderrahmane Al-Thani. A brief diplomatic visit which focused on “the means to promote peace in Afghanistan, the developments concerning the Kabul airport and the means to ensure freedom of passage and travel for all”. The head of Qatari diplomacy also “urged Afghan officials to engage all Afghan parties in national reconciliation”.
Qatar has played a leading diplomatic role in Afghan affairs since the Taliban took power, but also in recent years, notably hosting negotiations between the Taliban, then in the rebellion, and the United States of Donald Trump, then with the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, finally overthrown on August 15 by Islamist fighters.
This rich Gulf gas country was also very active in the gigantic airlift which evacuated more than 120,000 foreigners and Afghans wishing to leave the country following the return of the Taliban, welcoming tens of thousands of them in transit to other countries.
While trying to consolidate their government, the Taliban are facing a huge economic crisis.
Despite the resumption of imports of raw materials and fuel more than two weeks ago, prices are soaring. The population suffers from it. The health care system is on the verge of collapse.
With the external supply cut off and the shortage of health workers due to the flight of many Afghans, those who remain are struggling to treat more patients while waiting for wages that have not been paid for months.
At the same time, in the United States, throughout the weekend, the bodies of American soldiers killed in the suicide bombing at Kabul airport in late August continued to be repatriated to their homes.
On Sunday, the remains of 22-year-old Marine Humberto Sanchez were escorted to his hometown of Logansport, Indiana.
Reference-feedproxy.google.com