The Taliban opened on 18 June 2013 an office in Doha (Qatar).

This is the first official Afghan representation since 2001.

In July 2001, the United States broke off their oil negotiations with the Taliban in Berlin and declared war. One month later, Washington and London relocated their expeditionary forces to the Gulf of Oman. In September, the Tajik leader Massoud was assassinated. Subsequently, President Bush accused the Taliban of harboring those responsible for the attacks that bereaved Americans. In October, the United States and the United Kingdom attacked Afghanistan in “self-defense“.

The opening of this office is the result of negotiations between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Qatar, that concluded on April 2. During these talks, the Taliban were represented by Pakistani clergyman Maulana Fazlur Rehman (photo).