A delegation of the Taliban led by the group’s deputy chief in its political office in Doha, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, met with Turkmenistan officials in Ashgabat, capital of the central Asian country.
The Taliban delegation visited Turkmenistan upon official invitation of the country and met deputy foreign minister of Turkmenistan on Sunday, July 11, Stanekzai said in a tweet.
He added that the two sides held detailed talks on political, economic, and security issues
The Taliban political delegations have recently started regional visits as the group’s militants have dramatically increased a countrywide campaign to expand territorial control in Afghanistan. Nearly a hundred districts have fallen to the militants over the past two months.
A delegation of the militant group, also led by Stanekzai, held talks with representatives from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Tehran, capital of Iran, last Wednesday.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, was also present in the meeting between the Taliban and delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan led by Mohammad Younus Qanuni.
After two days of talks, the two delegations released a joint statement reiterating on a political solution to the Afghan conflict.
Another delegation of the Taliban led by Shaikh Shahabuddin Delawar, paid a visit to Russia last Thursday, July 08.
The delegation met Russian presidential envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, in Moscow.
After the meeting, the Taliban delegation appeared in a press conference claiming that they now control 85 percent of Afghanistan.
According to Mohammad Naeem, spokesman of the group’s political office in Doha, they have assured Russia that Afghanistan soil will not be used against any country. He added that they also talked about countering drug trafficking with the help of the international community.
