India announces first formal meeting with the Taliban
New Delhi: Indian Ambassador to Qatar – Deepak Mittal met the head of Taliban’s political office Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai in Doha on Tuesday. Deepak Mittal and Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai discussed the safety, security, and early return of the Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan.
In the past few days, the Taliban has taken over the control of Afghanistan. The US ended its 20 years’ war in Afghanistan and withdrew its troops from there.
According to the media report, India raised its concern over the use of Afghanistan’s territory by terrorists, while Stanekzai assured him that these issues would be positively addressed. Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner.”
Senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, who met Indian Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal on August 31, had received training in an Indian military academy as an Afghan officer in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Stanekzai trained at the Army Cadet College, Nowgaon, and then at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
India was earlier engaged with “important stakeholders in Afghanistan”, and had adopted a ‘wait and watch’ approach.
“India is working with its key partners and is continuing engagement with the people of Afghanistan,” the report had said citing Shringla.
