Taliban hold first talks in Europe since Afghan takeover

OSLOJAN42(COURTESY: HINDUSTAN TIMES)-THE

Taliban began their first official talks in Europe on Sunday with western diplomats after their takeover of Afghanistan in August.

The closed-door meetings were taking place in Norway where Taliban representatives are believed to be certain to press their demands that nearly $10 billion frozen by the United States and other Western countries be released as Afghanistan faces a precarious humanitarian situation. “We are requesting them to unfreeze Afghan assets and not punish ordinary Afghans because of the political discourse. Because of the starvation, because of the deadly winter, I think it’s time for the international community to support Afghans, not punish them because of their political disputes.”