From the potential for international terrorist organizationssuch as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP)to exploit the countrys security vacuum to the deteriorating humanitarian conditions of the Afghan people, Afghan troubles pose direct and indirect security threats to Gulf Arab states. Al-Thani gave Qatari passports out and put $1 million into a bank account to finance AQI. "Qatar has been presenting itself as a mediator in regional politics for almost two decades. But some observers accuse Qatar of abetting international terrorism. The truth is, it's been absurdly expensive, it's led to appalling human rights abuses, and it hasn't deterred anyone. Senior Taliban officials and U.S. representatives are to hold talks Saturday Oct 9 and Sunday Oct 10 about containing extremist groups in Afghanistan and easing the evacuation of foreign citizens and Afghans from the country, officials from both sides said. The United States and the Taliban officials resumed talks in Qatar on Thursday to firm up a deal enabling the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban security . "I recognised the man with the children, but when he avoided disclosing information about himself. However, protracted diplomatic activism comes with strings attached. The abrupt shifts in Saudis Afghan policy speak of a foreign policy approach that is highly reactive to the countrys changing strategic priorities. Biden Defends Afghanistan Withdrawal: I Said The Taliban Would Get Rid For years, the Afghan government and its Western backers have been trying to contact the Taliban, but they did not have a known address. The Taliban chose Qatar for the office because they saw it as a neutral location, The opening of the Taliban office has brought Qatar the international limelight it appears to seek, The surprising truth about frozen fruit. 2023 Atlantic Council [83] Shortly after, Qatar publicly pledged $250 million in aid for Gaza, devastated after the Israeli war, and soon rose as a lead actor in the Palestinian conflict. The Doha-based TV station Al-Jazeera has been giving the Taliban a platform to address the public for years. In 2020, hesigned a so-called peace agreement with the United States in Doha. [76], More money flows from Qatar to Hamas than any other country. [26][27], Former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated in May 2017 that he doesn't "know instances in which Qatar aggressively goes after (terror finance) networks of Hamas, Taliban, Al-Qaeda. United States District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, This page was last edited on 17 June 2023, at 07:09. However, covert funding from Saudi individuals reportedly went on for years afterwards. UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders, politicians, experts, and activists from Ukraine and the global community. By I hope Qatar and Turkey are listening. Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL) said:[6], "Relationships with some of these countries are complicated . Radical ideologies plague Afghanistan and its strategic geographic position in the heartland of Central Asia means that any troubles the country faces become regional and international concerns. In Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia has pursued a semi-open anti-Taliban policy, distancing itself from its former partner by contrasting the groups radical version of Islam with its more moderate Islam. In July 2017, for example, Saudi Arabia hosted a two-day international conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), promoting peace and stability in the war-torn country. Afghanistan, with the capital city of Kabul. More than one hundred religious scholars from nearly forty countries participated in the event, which concluded with a declaration condemning the religious illegitimacy of violence perpetuated by the Talibana group that has yet to be formally recognized by any government. Almost half of the evacuees transferred through Doha in the Gulf state of Qatar. The State Department also noted Qatar's maintenance of an active watchlist of terrorist suspects, and stated that the country had made efforts to arraign prominent terrorist financiers. He added: "Turkey is ready to lend all kinds of support for Afghanistan's unity but will follow a very cautious path.". Those in Qatar represent only the Taliban in Afghanistan, the main insurgent group led by Mullah Mohammed Omar. Germany, meanwhile, criticized Qatar after the Taliban's political leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was flown to Kandahar from Doha by the Qatari Air Force, days after the Islamist militants had swept across the country. Qatar's unique role in Afghanistan America's ignominious exit from Kabul has been a diplomatic boon for tiny Qatar Sep 11th 2021 | DUBAI I T TAKES AN hour to drive to the shimmering towers of. Against the backdrop of the Taliban takeover in mid-August 2021, Saudi Arabia has played a pivotal role in pressuring OIC and IsDB members to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance to the country. [108] According to CNN, the UAE officially denied those claims through its United States Embassy and its Foreign Affairs Minister Anwar Gargash. Indian ambassador to Qatar meets senior Taliban leader in Doha - India New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challengesand the United States role in addressing them alongside its allies and partners. Qatar wants to free itself from the embrace by its big neighbor by positioning itself as an independent mediator, he said. Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held talks in Doha with Libyan delegation on the matter, according to the official QNA news agency. Navigating Influence in Afghanistan: the Cases of Qatar and Pakistan Turkey, which has strong historical and ethnic ties in Afghanistan, has been on the ground with non-combat troops as the only Muslim-majority member of the Nato alliance there. Last week, Turkish officials held talks with the Taliban lasting over three hours, as chaos gripped Kabul airport. The Taliban had already insisted Turkey's military leave along with all other foreign forces to end Afghanistan's "occupation". Dina Esfandiary says the Taliban's surge back to power constitutes a renewed swing towards Islamism - a political ideology that seeks to reorder government and society in accordance with Islamic law - but she says for now it remains contained to South Asia. [66], On May 27, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of destabilising the region and supporting terrorist groups. The sight of a Taliban flag fluttering in the glittery Doha suburbs offended many (they shortened the flagpole after an American request). Reportedly Humayqani had high level connections with al-Qaeda top operatives and often acted as an AQAP representative while meeting with Yemeni authorities. VideoThe surprising truth about frozen fruit, What Titan sub wreckage can tell us about the tragedy. Ally. [45] U.S. officials also reported that al-Kuwari closely cooperated with Qatar-based Abdallah Ghanim Mafuz Muslim al-Khawar to "deliver money, messages and other material support to al-Qa'ida elements in Iran", who also facilitated jihadists to travel to Afghanistan. Britain sanctioned him in 2014. On June 6, 2017, the US State Department said Qatar had made progress on stemming the funding of terrorists but that there was more work to be done. [61][62][63] Several prominent figures, from Egyptian cleric Wagdy Ghoneim to wealthy Qatari Abdulaziz bin Khalifa al-Attiyah, overtly endorsed the campaign on their social media profiles. While there is no clear answer to that question, a loosely-defined consensus seems to have gradually emerged about the need to pursue low-key interactions with the Taliban to address security and humanitarian concerns. The longer the Syrian conflict continues, the more intractable and unmanageable it becomes. Qatars Afghan policy yielded mixed results. The primary reason is that it wants to improve its regional position," Steinberg said, addingthat "in the past, Qatar was very dependent on Saudi Arabia,in the 1970s and 1980s, it was practically a Saudi protectorate." [45][64] Al-Kawari, another Qatar-based financier and lead actor in Madid Ahl al-Sham, was also designated by the US Treasury for collecting financial support for al-Qaeda and for his role as "an al-Qaida security official". Read about our approach to external linking. According to the Releifweb Libya had unavoidably been affected by the diplomatic crisis in the Middle East that had pitted a coalition of Arab nations against Qatar. With much less political baggage than other Arab Gulf states, Qatar saw Afghanistan as a springboard to promote its niche diplomacy. Anti-Terrorism Legislation in the Arab Middle East and North Africa", "Congress of the United States letter to Department of Treasury", "WikiLeaks cables portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists", "US embassy cables: Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network using United Arab Emirates as funding base", Treasury Designates Al-Qa'ida Supporters in Qatar and Yemen, "Russian hackers infiltrated Podesta's email, security firm says", "Clinton Foundation donors Saudi Arabia and Qatar give Isis clandestine financial and logistic support, says Hillary Clinton in leaked emails", "Hillary Clinton emails leak: Wikileaks documents claim Democratic nominee 'thinks Saudi Arabia and Qatar fund Isis', "Hillary Clinton Acknowledges Saudi Terror Financing in Hacked Email, Hinting at Tougher Approach", "In leaked email, Clinton claims Saudi and Qatari governments fund ISIS", "Podesta leaks show Clinton email linking Saudi Arabia, Qatar to ISIS", "Sanctions, leaving military base 'possible options against Qatar', "President Trump Just Directly Contradicted His Secretary of State", "U.S., Qatar sign agreement on combating terrorism financing", "Trump praises Qatar's efforts on combating terrorist financing", "Virtual Launch: International Hub on Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism in Doha, Qatar | UNAOC", "Engaging parliamentarians | Office of Counter-Terrorism", "UN Office of Parliamentary Participation in Preventing, Combating Terrorism in Doha opens", "The United States and Qatar Take Coordinated Action Against Hizballah Financiers", "US issues Hezbollah-related sanctions in coordination with Qatar", "Arabian Gulf Financial Sponsorship of Al-Qaida via U.S.- Based Banks, Corporations and Charities", "The Rift between Qatar and the GCC Could Threaten Trump's Foreign Policy", "Ban Ki-Moon shakes hands with alleged al Qaeda emir", "Treasury Designates Al-Qa'ida Supporters in Qatar and Yemen", "Treasury Designates Financial Supporters of Al-Qaida and Al-Nusrah Front", "Qatar Charity, Pioneer and Master of Terror Finance | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance", United States of America v. Usama bin Laden, "Funding Al Nusra Through Ransom: Qatar and the Myth of "Humanitarian Principle" | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance", "Huge Role of Tiny Kingdom of Qatar in Libya Draws Concern", "LIBYAN ISLAMIC FIGHTING GROUP | United Nations Security Council Subsidiary Organs", "Turkey and Saudi Arabia alarm the West by backing Islamist extremists the Americans had bombed in Syria", "Al-Nusra and its Gulf Financiers: The Political Cost of a Long-Running Alliance | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance", "UN peacekeepers' release 'mediated by Qatar', "Al Qaeda-Linked Groups Increasingly Funded by Ransom", "Lebanon's Prisoner Swap with Jabhat Al Nusra", "Islamic charity officials gave millions to al-Qaeda, U.S. says", "Syrian conflict said to fuel sectarian tensions in Persian Gulf", "To Avoid Visa Fight, Muslim Cleric to Leave", "Al Qaeda financiers use Qatar for international activities", "Analysis: Qatar still negligent on terror finance", "U.S. Calls Qatar, Kuwait Lax Over Terror Financing", "Qatar Charity Launches Massive Development Project in Darfur Sudan", "Darfur rebels accuse Qatar of supporting government military campaign Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan", "JEM conduct week long visit to Washington DC for US Gov meetings", "Egypt Launches Airstrike in Libya Against ISIS Branch", "Qatar recalls ambassador to Egypt over ISIL row", "GCC rejects accusation of Egypt to Qatar supporting terrorism", "Egypt court overturns Hamas terror blacklisting", "Qatar's Emir Visits Gaza, Pledging $400 Million to Hamas", "Iraqi PM Maliki says Saudi, Qatar openly funding violence in Anbar", "5 Killed, Several Wounded in Tel Aviv, West Bank Terror Attacks Israel News", "Hamas terrorist in Qatar helps Hebron terror cell plan kidnappings", "IDF & ISA Uncover Hamas Terrorist Assets in Hebron IDF Blog | The Official Blog of the Israel Defense Forces", "Is Gaza Reconstruction Aid Rearming Hamas? As early as 2013, Qatar allowed the Taliban to open an office in Doha,with the support of the USadministration under Barack Obama. [6] Qatar denies these allegations, stating that it does not support Hamas' political position, and that its policy is to help facilitate constructive engagement between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. But bridging a trail to the Taliban may still contain risks for the future, including the capacity to aggravate one of the Middle East's fault lines. It is advisable to be as conservative as possible in your dress. From a foreign policy perspective, the Afghan dilemma cannot be solved by one country alone. He told us it was highly unlikely the Taliban would overrun the country.He was completely wrong.pic.twitter.com/vqWya0fPTo. Mindful of the decades-long meddling in the countrys affairs, large swaths of the Afghan political spectrum grew distrustful of Saudi Arabias ambitions, and the kingdom was relegated to the sidelines of Afghan politics. A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe, Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them. Yet Qatar is certainly not appeasing other countries in the region with its foreign policy and its relations with extremist groups, which in2017 resulted inthe so-called "Qatar crisis", whenit was blockaded and boycotted by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt. Qatar is officially a Wahhabi state and has contactwithvarious extremist groups. Some of the discussions were about the future operation of the airport itself, which Turkish troops have guarded for six years. However, it is also worth remembering that as little as three years ago, Baradar was released reportedly at Washington'sbehest from a prison in Pakistan, where he had been detainedin 2010 by Pakistani intelligent forces workingtogether with theCIA. Since 2014, all projects and international bank transfers of Qatari charities need authorization by the government's independent Charities Commission, which controls charitable giving to prevent misuse of donations and terrorism financing. [43] Al-Subaiy and Al-Nuaymi have close ties to senior leaders in the Qatari government. As long as these endeavors are geared toward the essential needs of the battered Afghan population and are solidly anchored on humanitarian grounds, the international community should not let Gulf partners alone shoulder the burden of providing the bulk of humanitarian relief to the country. Qatar's main interest is to cement its position. "Mr. President, why did you give millions of borrowers false President Joe Biden on Friday defended the Afghanistan withdrawal when confronted by Globo News Washington Bureau Chief Raquel Krhenbhl, about the State Department's report that found the U.S. failed to plan well enough, Secretary of State Blinken: "The United States Is Proud To Defend The Rights Of LGBTQI+ Persons Around The Globe", Greenwald: Democrats Worried About RFK Jr. [85][86], In July 2017, former CIA director David Petraeus revealed that Qatar has hosted the Hamas leadership at the request of US. If you're planning a beach trip this summer, you can find your . In the past, the relationship between Qatar and the Taliban has not been entirely free of conflict. The list was extended with Salem Al-Jaber, Wanis Al-Mabrouk Al-Fasi, Salim Al-Sheikhi as other individuals. [46][47] The Consortium Against Terrorist Finance reported that Qatar Charity also channeled funds to Chechnya-based al-Qaeda operatives in 1999, as well as to Ansar Dine in North Mali. Read about our approach to external linking. washington . Biden also thanked Qatar for facilitating intra-Afghan talks even though they had failed even beforethe Taliban took power. [4], At one time, Al-Nuaymi was the president of the Qatar Football Association. With an Abu Dhabi-based company winning three bids to run operations at the main Afghan airports, the UAE has come to play a more visible role in the country during the past months. For the most up to date guidance on Qatar's COVID-19 policies, please see the Qatar Ministry of Public Health's Travel and Return Policy website.. What did Germany's FM Baerbock achieve in Sth. "By playing this role of mediation, Qatar is able to strengthen its relations with the United States andother Western,European actors," Elham Fakhro of the International Crisis Group said. But the number of Taliban representatives and their activities in Qatar have gradually increased. On the one hand, it significantly helped Doha cement its status as an ascendant regional power and reputation as a reliable partner for the US and Europe. On October 30, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin praised "strong ties" with Qatar, and vowed closer cooperation with the country. WORLD-Middle East 04 Jan 2022, Tue - 03:06 Newsdesl - Lilav Diwani Here's what we know: The day after the Afghan president fled and the Taliban installed themselves in the presidential palace, uncertainty reigned. These included a prohibition on supplying information, training, weapons, financing, and material support for terrorists and terrorist organizations, as well as establishing, directing, or using legitimate entities, associations, or organizations to perpetrate terrorist activities. He told us it would be a safe and orderly withdrawal. When the Taliban . [46][68][69] Sadam claimed that Qatar Charity, which has purportedly signed a cooperation agreement with the Sudanese troops, was "building housing complexes in remote and isolated areas to harbor and train extremist groups". Al-Fadl declared to have personally cooperated with Qatar Charity's director in the late 1990s, Abdullah Mohammed Yusef, who was affiliated to al-Qaeda and also engaged in the National Islamic Front, a Sudanese political group that protected Osama Bin Laden. All rights reserved. [67], In 2014, Qatar had pledged $400 million to Hamas. They knew that the Americans in particular were eager to secure a peace deal that would allow Nato a dignified exit from Afghanistan and leave the country more stable and peaceful. However, the emirate is not entirely impartial, as it set up the office for the Taliban not least for the sake of the United States. Taliban Office Politics: UAE vs. Qatar - The Diplomat News | Migration Afghans in Qatar share hopes and fears after fleeing the Taliban Qatar is assisting thousands of Afghan refugees in two separate evacuation processes after the Taliban. Germany's Afghanistan ambassador Markus Potzel has already held talks with the Taliban in Doha. [104][105][106][107], According to The Washington Post, the United Arab Emirates planted false evidence before the crisis. "I approached a couple of children when I heard them speaking in Pashto," he said. Many countries have attempted to maintain some form of contact with the Taliban since its take-over of Kabul, particularly through the Doha channel. [4], According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Subayi also provided financial support to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a Pakistani al-Qaeda senior officer purported to be one of the architects of the 9/11 attacks. Kabul's airport was reopened for evacuation. This prompted Tariq Adel, Egypt's Arab League delegate, to accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar's ambitious 61-year-old emir, is reported to be preparing to hand control of the wealthy Gulf state to his son, Crown Prince Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. "The emirate shows no fear of contact with several problematic actors in the region," Guido Steinberg of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told DW. Meanwhile, another aspect remains unclear: How much influence does Qatar have on the Taliban? [46][70], In February 2015, EgyptQatar relations deteriorated after the Egyptian Air Force conducted airstrikes on suspected ISIL positions in neighboring Libya following the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians. But Turkey is among those in a stronger position to develop ties on the ground; albeit a situation that is full of risk. During the Taliban's original spell in power in the 1990s only three countries had formal ties with them: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Over the past decades, Qatar has also offered shelter to several prominent Hamas affiliates: from Saleh al-Arouri, the founder of Hamas' military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, known for his ability to mastermind attacks from abroad who was reportedly hosted by Qatar after leaving Turkey in December 2015, to Husam Badran, the former leader of a Hamas cell and the current media spokesperson for Hamas who instigated several deadly suicide bombings during the Second Intifada and is based in Qatar since 2011. Qatar was unable to pressure the Taliban into making meaningful concessions while the Taliban took back Kabul and got the US to withdraw its troops. Flight lands in Qatar after Taliban cleared Americans and others to The stationalso broadcast the Taliban's entry into the presidential palace in Kabul. "No-one has been able to do any major evacuation process out of Afghanistan without having a Qatari involved in some way or another," explains Dina Esfandiary, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, a think tank which studies global conflict. It became a household name when it started the famous al-Jazeera television network. Several told me that they had occasionally seen Taliban representatives driving, walking the streets, or inside shopping centres and mosques. He says Turkey may try to position itself as "guarantor, mediator, facilitator" - as a more trusted intermediary than Russia or China - who have kept their embassies open in Kabul. Although Qatars eligibility for MNNA status doesnt automatically include amutual defense pactwith theUnited States, being designated a MNNA state is very much a declaration that the United States wants a deeper and stronger security-cooperation relationship with Qatar and expects the country to play a greater role in regional security. VideoThe surprising truth about frozen fruit, What Titan sub wreckage can tell us about the tragedy. After nearly 12 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan, long-awaited peace talks with the Taliban are set to begin. As a confidence-building measure, providing protection to those Taliban leaders participating in peace talks and finding them a permanent address became a priority for the US and the Afghan High Peace Council. "And Qatar has no interest in changing that since it fears the power of its neighbors.". While this approach is criticized by some, others benefit from the country's contacts. ", Khalifa Muhammad Turki al-Subaiy and Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi are senior-level financiers of al-Qaeda. Qatar is currently working with the UN, the US and other international partners to ensure Afghans and foreigners are safely evacuated from Kabul following a US and NATO troop withdrawal and the subsequent Taliban takeover. Moved by the aim of providing relief to the battered Afghan population, the IsDB approved the establishment of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund in February 2022. Advertising The president did not want it to be used for other activities, such as the expansion of Taliban ties with the rest of the world, recruitment or fundraising. Hampered by a United Nations (UN) visa ban and the UN General Assemblys rejection of the Islamist regimes request to have one of its ambassadors take over the countrys seat at the UN, the Taliban still rely heavily on the Doha political office to conduct diplomatic activities outside of Afghanistan. However, al-Kuwari said that the Qatari government was never involved. Qatar has been accused of allowing terror financiers to operate within its borders, which has been one of the justifications for the Qatar diplomatic crisis that started in 2017 and ended in 2021. Qatar's then deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, speaks during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Washington, U.S. February 10, 2023. [115] The NCTC publishes the national terrorist designation list. [3][116], The 2010 Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law requires Qatar's public prosecutor's office to freeze the funds of individuals and organizations that are on the UN Security Council's terror sanctions list. Roshan Noorzai. Foreign Affairs. MENASource Qatar and the Taliban: longtime allies - Jihad Watch Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban, was trained by the ISI . A diplomat from the Afghan embassy in Doha shared the story of an encounter he had had with a Taliban representative in a Doha shopping centre. Something went wrong. At the time, Washington was looking for a neutral place to negotiate with the Islamist militia in order to prepare the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. [40], "Private support from prominent Qataris to Al Qaeda is a sensitive issue that is said to infuriate George J. Tenet, the director of central intelligence. For Qatar and Turkey, contact with the Taliban developed in different ways. "[2], After Cohen made his public remarks in October 2014, the Qatar ambassador to the United States, Mohammed al-Kuwari, acknowledged to the Wall Street Journal that Qatar has had problems with some of its citizens sending money to terrorist organizations. IranSource provides a holistic look at Irans internal dynamics, global and regional policies, and posture through unique analysis of current events and long-term, strategic issues related to Iran. If Afghanistan is to teach us anything, the Biden administration should not ignore Syria by having a non-existent policy. Over the past two years, they have sent representatives from Qatar to conferences on Afghanistan in Japan, France and Germany - most recently sending a delegation to Iran. [74] Shortly after, Qatar recalled its ambassador to Egypt for "consultations". High-ranking Taliban officials, such as the Afghan Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and representatives from prominent international organizations, were present at the opening ceremony. [117][118], In 2017, the 2004 Law on Combating Terrorism was amended. OIC and IsDB have proved effective conduits to safely channel funds into Afghanistan, although their mitigation measures have fallen short of the mark. [78], Qatar has continuously hosted Hamas politburo since 2012, when Khaled Meshal, Hamas' political leader, fled Syria for Qatar. Yet given Pakistan and Qatar's extant relations with the Taliban, the two countries appear to be the main winners in this shifted balance, and whichever one is chosen as the primary mediator will have a significant role in .

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