Peace Talks Don’t Get in the Way of Fighting in Afghanistan

Taliban fighters apparently did not receive the memo about ongoing peace talks between their leadership and the Afghani government, as a Monday morning offensive launched by the group against security forces killed at least 57 soldiers and over 50 Taliban insurgents. The clashes, spread out over the entire country, included attacks on security checkpoints and government buildings. The Taliban killed more than 100 civilians in the past two weeks, and Monday’s incident was the bloodiest since negotiations for a cease-fire began in the Qatari capital of Doha on September 12. Representatives for both sides have so far failed to reach even minor understandings, as talks have stalled over issues of process and negotiating procedures. The Kabul government agreed to enter discussions with the extremist group, which prior to the 2001 American invasion controlled most of Afghanistan, at the behest of Washington, as the US military continues to wind down its presence in the war-torn country.