As the Taliban continue to make sweeping gains throughout Afghanistan, the prospects of the country’s deepening conflict being resolved through negotiations become ever more remote.
When the idea was first mooted of Washington agreeing to withdraw its remaining military forces from Afghanistan, it was done so with the aim of persuading the main warring parties to negotiate peace terms.
Thus, when then US president Donald Trump’s administration reached an agreement with the Taliban last year to commence the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, it was done on the basis that the militant group would make serious efforts to negotiate peace terms with the democratically elected government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
But while Mr Trump pressed ahead with the troop withdrawal, critics of the deal raised concerns that the Taliban were not seriously interested in negotiating, and were merely biding their time before the removal of foreign troops had been completed before renewing its campaign to seize the country on the battleground.
And, judging by the rapid advances the Taliban have made in recent weeks following US President Joe Biden’s announcement that American combat operations would cease next month, there is precious little indication that the group has any serious interest in the peace talks currently taking place in Doha, Qatar.
According to the latest US defence estimates, the recent gains achieved by the Taliban, which has seen the insurgents capture 10provincial capitals during a blitz across northern Afghanistan, means there is now a realistic prospect of the group seizing control of the country by force.
US intelligence chiefs now predict that, at the Taliban’s current rate of progress, Kabul could be cut off from the rest of the country within a month, and overrun within three.
This is a stark contrast to Washington’s assessments only a month ago that the Afghan army could hold key areas of the country for at least a year after the withdrawal of foreign troops.
But even though there has been an alarming deterioration in the Afghan government’s prospects for survival, Mr Biden has made it abundantly clear that he has no intention of reviewing his decision. Speaking to reporters at the White House earlier this week, Mr Biden said he did not regret his decision to withdraw US forces, and instead called on Afghanistan’s leaders to unite and “fight for their nation”.
But while Mr Biden has repeatedly warned the Taliban against choosing military force over a negotiated settlement, all the indications suggest the Taliban’s strategy is to seize territory until the Afghan government submits to their terms.
That certainly appears to be the case in Doha. During the latest round of negotiations that began earlier this week where, far from being in a mood to compromise, Taliban delegates have been demanding that Mr Ghani’s government steps down before the talks can move forward.
The Taliban certainly seems to be paying little attention to demands from the US and other major powers, such as Russia and China, that are involved in the Doha talks not to pursue a military solution to the conflict.
Speaking ahead of the resumption of talks in Doha earlier this week, US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated the Trump administration’s original withdrawal agreement with the Taliban and continues in his role, insisted the US was still committed to finding a negotiated resolution of the conflict. “We are always looking for ways and means to help accelerate the negotiations because we don’t see a military solution to the war in Afghanistan,” he said. “There must be a political solution, a political agreement for a lasting peace.”
Yet, to judge by the Taliban’s conduct in recent weeks, their interest in a negotiated settlement appears to diminish by the day, a trend that appears to have characterised their approach to the negotiations from the outset.
Even though the Taliban made a commitment to enter talks with the Afghan government in the agreement they signed with the Trump administration last year, their primary concern at the outset apparently was to secure the release of around 5,000 Taliban fighters before entering negotiations.
The prisoner release was finally realised last September when, under intense pressure from Washington, the Afghan government agreed to the move, with the result that many of the former prisoners are now playing a leading role in the Taliban’s nationwide offensive against the beleaguered Afghan security forces.
For example, the Taliban commander who is leading the attack on Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province and the former headquarters of British forces, has been identified as one of the prisoners released in the US-sponsored deal.
Certainly, the determination of both the Trump and Biden administrations to end America’s 20-year involvement in the Afghan conflict has encouraged the Taliban to believe that Washington has no serious interest in pursuing a negotiated settlement to the conflict, and is solely interested in ending its military involvement, irrespective of the consequences.
In a statement issued by the Taliban before the latest round of talks in Doha, the organisation said that it remained committed to the negotiating process, and did not want it to collapse. Events on the ground in Afghanistan, though, tell a different story.
Con Coughlin is a defence and foreign affairs columnist for The National
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
US Industrial Market figures, Q1 2017
Vacancy Rate 5.4%
Markets With Positive Absorption 85.7 per cent
New Supply 55 million sq ft
New Supply to Inventory 0.4 per cent
Under Construction 198.2 million sq ft
(Source: Colliers)
Schedule for show courts
Centre Court - from 4pm UAE time
Johanna Konta (6) v Donna Vekic
Andy Murray (1) v Dustin Brown
Rafael Nadal (4) v Donald Young
Court 1 - from 4pm UAE time
Kei Nishikori (9) v Sergiy Stakhovsky
Qiang Wang v Venus Williams (10)
Beatriz Haddad Maia v Simona Halep (2)
Court 2 - from 2.30pm
Heather Watson v Anastasija Sevastova (18)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) v Simone Bolelli
Florian Mayer v Marin Cilic (7)
