A senior Qatari official stated on Friday that Qatar is supporting the opening of humanitarian corridors for the flow of aid into Kabul and other Afghan ports.
“There are three parties engaged in discussions to resume operations at Kabul Airport. This includes Qatari technicians who have been on the ground for 48 hours to negotiate the steps that need to be taken,” Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani, Qatar’s Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution expressed.
Al Qahtani was onboard the third Qatari plane to land in Kabul’s airport on Friday, according to a Qatari source familiar with the incident. Since foreign forces withdrew ahead of the August 31 deadline, the facility has been closed.
“As an impartial mediator in this process, Qatar has engaged with all sides,” the Qatari envoy said
“As of now, our priority with the Taliban includes guaranteeing a peaceful transfer of power and ensuring an inclusive and effective government is formed to serve the Afghan people,” he added.
Since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15, Qatar has worked closely with the international community to evacuate Afghans and Westerners.
The Gulf state, which serves as a key mediator between the former Afghan government, the Taliban, and Western powers, has prioritized the return of civilian operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Japan have asked Qatar to relocate their embassies from Kabul to Doha, where diplomatic operations can restart.
“Qatar also continues to work closely with the international community…to provide safe corridors and freedom of movement for those in Afghanistan and continue cooperation in the fight against terrorism to prevent any future instability in the region,” the Qatari source announced.
