Taliban Supreme Leader Engages in Rare Meeting With Qatari PM

The reclusive supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhunzada, held a meeting in Kandahar, Afghanistan with Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on May 12, according to a report by Al Jazeera on Wednesday. This marks the first public acknowledgment of such a meeting between the Taliban’s top leader and a foreign dignitary. Neither Sheikh Mohammed, who also serves as Qatar’s foreign minister, nor the Taliban, have commented on the meeting’s content. However, Al Jazeera suggested the dialogue focused on potential ways to end the Taliban’s international isolation. The meeting’s implications remain uncertain, especially considering the state of Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. According to the United Nations, Taliban rule has led to severe repression of women’s rights and an endemic hunger crisis. The meeting came amid increasing tensions between the Taliban and Iranian border guards. Qatar, home to a US military base and a diplomatic post for the Taliban, played a pivotal role in evacuating individuals from Afghanistan during the US troop withdrawal last year.