Fourth Vienna Meeting Begins with Mohammad Mohaqiq’s Warning to Taliban and Hope for Negotiations

The fourth Vienna meeting commenced with the participation of 70 representatives from 40 political and military factions, parties, and independent individuals in the Austrian capital. Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, warned the Taliban group about armed resistance while mentioning the inclination of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s Interior Minister, towards intra-Afghan talks.

Mohaqiq said that although Haqqani had carried out numerous attacks in the past, he now seems to be leaning towards intra-Afghan dialogue. Expressing hope, he added, “A man of war is also a man of peace.” Mohaqiq also warned anti-Taliban groups that if the Taliban group does not engage in negotiations, the situation will become difficult for them.

The leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan criticized the international community’s approach in dealing with the Taliban group and considered its consequences to be detrimental. On the first day of the Vienna meeting, the participants also discussed the implications of the world’s engagement with the Taliban group, referring to the third Doha meeting.

This meeting, held on June 24, 2024, is the fourth round of the Vienna meetings, which are being organized to explore ways to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan with the presence of a wide range of Afghan political and military factions.