The fifth round of talks between American diplomats and Taliban representatives has been ongoing for almost two weeks now, making it the longest round of negotiations ever held between the two sides. According to both sides, discussions revolve around timeline of American troop withdrawal and guarantees by the Taliban not to allow Afghanistan to be used as a launching pad for attacks against the United States or its allies. While the American side declares that the issue of intra-Afghan dialogue and ceasefire is also part of the negotiations, the Taliban reject it saying that the ongoing discussions are focused on the “external factor” of the Afghan war. It is hard to determine whose narrative is reliable, but intra-Afghan talks are a requisite to politically settle Afghan imbroglio and restore peace in the country.
Continued discussions aimed to end Afghan conflict are a step forward, yet they should culminate in a deal before the Taliban announce their spring offensive that can set the stage for a ceasefire. The Taliban usually announce their spring offensive around mid April every year, so if the ongoing US-Taliban talks do not result at least in a ceasefire deal by then, 2019 will again prove a deadliest year for Afghan people.
It is realizable that complex conflicts such as the one that has been ongoing for several decades in Afghanistan cannot be solved in a few weeks and months, but there is an opportunity for both sides in the ongoing peace talks to agree at least on a truce. A ceasefire deal is crucial to the continuity of peace parleys since it can help build trust between the two warring sides, and is even more of an urgent need especially now as there are fears that the Taliban may launch their new offensive. Efforts should first be made to secure a ceasefire deal before mid-April, but if it is difficult to reach such an agreement for technical reasons or any other challenge, the United States better convince the Taliban to postpone the launch of their spring operation till the ongoing peace talks lead to a breakthrough. Continued discussions between the two sides are useful and indication of the willingness and resolve of both sides for peace, but the continuation of dialogue without producing tangible results is not enough. Concrete, tension-easing steps such as truce need to be taken so as to gradually achieve peace, and put an end to the bloody conflict.