[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. United States District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, This page was last edited on 17 June 2023, at 07:09. [1][18] The State Department responded to the lawmakers' letters by stating that the US has a "productive relationship with Qatar", pointing out that Qatar has improved its counter-terrorism efforts in past years, although it conceded that Qatar's monitoring and prosecution of terrorist financiers and charities has remained "inconsistent". However, Meshal had already found harbor in Qatar in the late 1990s, before he moved to Damascus in 2001. The BBC World Service's Dawood Azami has this assessment from Doha. In 2014, David S. Cohen, then United States Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, accused Qatari authorities of allowing financiers who were on international blacklists to live freely in the country: "There are U.S.- and UN-designated terrorist financiers in Qatar that have not been acted against under Qatari law. However, some lower-ranking Taliban managed to travel to Qatar and other Gulf states, such as UAE and Saudi Arabia, as ordinary Afghan labourers and businessmen. [10][11] In 2010, it was reported that the violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan was partly bankrolled by wealthy, conservative donors across the Arabian Sea whose governments do little to stop them. ", Khalifa Muhammad Turki al-Subaiy and Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi are senior-level financiers of al-Qaeda. Hosted by Katrin Bennhold. 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. Just a day after his meeting with the top Taliban security figure, Sheikh Mohammed paid an official visit to Qatars Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Jassim Al Thani, demonstrating that Afghanistan could offer the conditions to bring further rapprochement between Abu Dhabi and Doha. How Qatar became the power broker of Afghanistan - analysis Qatar and state-sponsored terrorism - Wikipedia An agreement and final communique signed on 5 January 2021 following a GCC summit at Al-'Ula marks the resolution of the crisis, with precise details to be released later. NGOs resume some Afghan operations with women workers After capturing Kabul, the Taliban announced that they were seeking good relations with their neighborsChina, India, Iran, Russia, Pakistan, and the Gulf Arab states. Qatar wants to free itself from the embrace by its big neighbor by positioning itself as an independent mediator, he said. 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. [120][121] In 2019 the Qatari government introduced a new anti-money laundering and counter terror financing laws. "Certain neighbors, like Saudi Arabia, don't necessarily think that Qatar actually needs to exist.". It facilitated the US-Taliban talks that led to the 2020 Doha Agreement and played a valuable role in evacuating thousands of foreign troops and civilians out of Afghanistan in mid-2021. So far, Qatar has disbursed over $1 billion to the rebuilding efforts, thereby ranking as the biggest donor for the Gaza strip. How Qatar became the power broker of Afghanistan - analysis Qatar has been playing a key role in the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan. Advertisement As the Taliban Advance in Afghanistan, Pressure on Pakistan Grows The United States and others want Pakistan to push harder for peace. 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. On October 30, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin praised "strong ties" with Qatar, and vowed closer cooperation with the country. All rights reserved. Video, Florida murder suspect arrested after 40 years, Designer can refuse gay couples, top US court says, Australia begins world-first MDMA therapy for PTSD, Sex life of rare 'leopard-print' frog revealed, Finland minister resigns over Nazi references, Rescuers amputate leg of woman stuck in travelator. "And Qatar has no interest in changing that since it fears the power of its neighbors.". [9] In 2011, as part of the U.S. strategy to pull out of Afghanistan, American officials began holding talks with a handful of Afghans who represented the Taliban. BRUSSELS The United States and NATO invaded Afghanistan 20 years ago in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 by Al Qaeda, harbored by the Taliban.. Now that the Taliban are back in power . However, covert funding from Saudi individuals reportedly went on for years afterwards. Foreign Affairs. [98] Prior to the crisis, President Donald Trump had made a trip to Saudi Arabia and met with Middle East leaders. The lives of millions of ordinary Afghans depend on how they spread out. "Qatar has been presenting itself as a mediator in regional politics for almost two decades. Tillerson also commended Qatar, as it behaved reasonably throughout the dispute. Biden told us Afghanistan wouldnt fall. MENASource offers the latest news from across the Middle East, combined with commentary by contributors, interviews with emerging players, multi-media content, and independent analysis from fellows and staff. 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. The Taliban Are Back. Now Will They Restrain or Support Al Qaeda? It facilitated the US-Taliban talks that led to the 2020 Doha Agreement and was critical in evacuation operations, airlifting thousands of foreign troops and civilians out of Afghanistan in mid-2021. 22 June 2013 The Taliban chose Qatar for the office because they saw it as a neutral location After nearly 12 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan, long-awaited peace talks with the Taliban are. [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". In December 2013, Egypt designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. 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 . 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. [4], Al-Nuaymi is knowingly associated[clarification needed] with Abd al-Wahhab Muhammad 'Abd al-Rahman Al-Humayqani, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) whom the US Treasury sanctioned in 2013 for his role as fundraiser and executive for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have high stakes in post-occupation Afghanistan. The truth is, it's been absurdly expensive, it's led to appalling human rights abuses, and it hasn't deterred anyone. Tourist visas: When traveling on a U.S. tourist passport, travelers may obtain a free visa upon arrival, if they have six-months validity in their passport and a . He is well known for his diplomatic activism, with various media outlets calling him the "Arab Henry Kissinger". And first, Happy Pride. I have my own way of thinking." The richest country in the world per capita has developed a working relationship with a particularly wide range of governments and groups, from Hezbollah to the. [12] Other Arab countries which were listed as sources of militant money were Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, the report mentioned Qatar's restructuring of its National Anti-Terrorism Committee and recent enactment of counter-terrorism laws. It became a household name when it started the famous al-Jazeera television network. They Also Knowingly Abet Terrorism. Cook argued that Qatar supports a wide variety of ideological groups in an effort to be independent from the influence of larger countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia. About two years ago, the former Guantanamo prisoner and Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, Mullah Abdual Salam Zaif, also moved from Kabul to Qatar with his family after his name was removed from the international sanctions list. "[1] Accusations come from a wide variety of sources including intelligence reports, government officials, and journalists. A few have reportedly commuted between Qatar and Pakistan over the past two years. Afghanistan, with the capital city of Kabul. 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. Australia has spent billions on transferring 3,127 asylum seekers and . On behalf of AQAP, he allegedly recruited individuals for several murderous attacks in Yemen, and personally directed a "group of armed AQAP associates that intended to carry out attacks on Yemeni government facilities and institutions, including a Yemeni government building in al-Bayda Governorate". Security concerns have been the central theme for Saudi engagement with Afghanistan, though the kingdoms pursuit of different goals depending on the historical context reflects a continuous evolution of its strategic priorities. [87][88][89], At the September 2014 congressional hearing, Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations testified. Biden also thanked Qatar for facilitating intra-Afghan talks even though they had failed even beforethe Taliban took power. From a foreign policy perspective, the Afghan dilemma cannot be solved by one country alone. The longer the Syrian conflict continues, the more intractable and unmanageable it becomes. Afghanistan: Qatar and Turkey become Taliban's lifeline to the - BBC Promoted Listen to the latest songs, only on . UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders, politicians, experts, and activists from Ukraine and the global community. And in the process two nations from the Arab and Muslim world have been emerging as key mediators and facilitators - Qatar and Turkey. Reem Salahi. 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. 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. Saudi Arabia urges Taliban to protect lives under 'Islamic principles Supporting this claim, The Libyan National army spokesperson, Col.Ahmed Musmari[92] accused Qatar of sponsoring terrorism[93] by providing and arming Terrorists in Libya. The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side, an . [117][118], In 2017, the 2004 Law on Combating Terrorism was amended. They see Qatar as a country that has balanced relations with all sides and has a prestigious status in the Islamic world. "It is for Afghanistan, it doesn't mean it's the case for the [Middle East]. 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. Qatar arranges 'secret meeting' with CIA, Taliban as insurgents halt 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. His services include both lobbying and challenging international accusations following the regional blockade of Qatar by its neighbors. Pentagon acknowledges 'terrible' conditions at Qatar base temporarily housing Afghan evacuees | CNN Politics Pentagon acknowledges 'terrible' conditions at Qatar base temporarily housing. When the diplomatic boycott was imposed on Qatar in 2017 by its neighbours (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE), part of the boycott conditions was . 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 . In this way, Qatar could funnel interest in the West, and perhaps also in China and Russia, in its continued existence as an independent state. Qatar has also never officially recognized the "Islamic Emirate" proclaimed by the Taliban in 1996. Anti-Terrorist Financing Efforts, The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, "Intelligence Break Led U.S. to Tie Envoy Killing to Iraqi Qaeda Cell, Letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, "Terror financiers are living freely in Qatar, US discloses, Government's Evidentiary Proffer Supporting the Admissibility of Coconspirator Statements, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Qatar_and_state-sponsored_terrorism&oldid=1160551729. On that occasion, the Qatari ruler announced that Qatar would have devolved $400 million for aid and reconstruction works. But many Pakistanis see a Taliban victory as. [64] The Qatari government did not arrest the two terrorist financiers after the Treasury's designation, and they both continued to live with impunity in the country[64][65] until 2015 when the Qatari government froze their assets and imposed travel bans on them. | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance", "Why Israel allows Qatar to support Hamas in Gaza", "UAE 'lobbied US officials' to host Taliban office", "Le gnral David Petraeus: "A Raqqa, je ne doute pas que Daech sera vaincu", "Gulf nations give Qatar 48 hours to meet ultimatum", "Gulf plunged into diplomatic crisis as countries cut ties with Qatar", "UAE denies Washington Post report it orchestrated Qatar hack", "LNA's Mismari accuses Sudan, Qatar and Iran of backing terrorism in Libya", "Qatar, Libya sign security cooperation agreement", "Fourth High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the State of Qatar & UNOCT | Office of Counter-Terrorism", "Anti-Terror Quartet adds 2 entities, 11 individuals to terror list", "Tanasuh and Nabaa TV among Libyan organisations and individuals added to Saudi-coordinated "terror" list", "CNN Exclusive: US suspects Russian hackers planted fake news behind Qatar crisis", "Trump takes sides in Arab rift, suggests support for isolation of", "Trump says Mideast leaders "pointed to Qatar" as funding radicalism", "Donald Trump says his Saudi visit could be 'beginning of the end for terrorism', "Trump appears to take credit for Gulf nations' move against Qatar", "Qatar, accused of supporting terrorism, hires ex-U.S. attorney general Reuters", "Singled Out by Trump, Qatar Hires Former Top U.S. Law Man", "Qatar blockade: Iran sends five planeloads of food", "Qatar Hires Former U.S. Attorney General To Rebut Terrorism Allegations", "UAE orchestrated hacking of Qatari government sites, sparking regional upheaval, according to U.S. intelligence officials", "Qatar crisis: UAE denies hacking news agency", "Qatar-Gulf crisis: All the latest updates", "Rex Tillerson applauds Qatar plan but Gulf rivals refuse to lift sanctions", "Mnuchin Joins Tillerson in Praising Qatar Amid Saudi-Led Embargo", "US envoy to thank Qatar for counterterrorism efforts", "Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law No, (4) of Year 2010", "Emir issues decree amending law on combating terrorism", "Egypt court annuls ruling that Hamas is terrorist group", "Egyptian court declares Hamas a 'terrorist group", "Gaza Conflict Spotlights Role of Qatar, the Hamas-Funding U.S. Ally, "Treasury Designates Al-Qaida Supporters in Qatar and Yemen, for-terrorists.html "The 'Club Med for Terrorists'", "U.S. Qatar's Taliban efforts position Doha as a key mediator: Analysts 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. [5], Qatar has been accused of supporting Hamas, the Palestinian group designated as a terrorist organization by a number of countries. The stationalso broadcast the Taliban's entry into the presidential palace in Kabul. [72] Additionally, Qatar's foreign ministry expressed reservations over the airstrikes. [43] The US Treasury claimed that in 2012 Al-Nuaymi supported financially a charity directed by Humayqani. Qatar and the Taliban: longtime allies Aug 20, 2021 4:00 pm By Christine Douglass-Williams Another troubling aspect of the Afghanistan takeover by the Taliban is the stealth role of deceiving, Muslim Brotherhood-supporting Qatar. [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. Senior Taliban officials used lucrative salaries tied to . 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. [91][109], On August 17, Saudi Arabia opened the land borders that connect Qatar with Saudi Arabia. Qatar was a safe-haven for terrorists: counterterrorism expert Something went wrong. But both are taking a gamble too - which could even stoke old rivalries further afield, in the Middle East. [71][72] The airstrikes were condemned by Al Jazeera, who broadcast images of civilian casualties. [90] According to CNN, Qatar had previously signed agreements with its neighbors, which were presented on the air, to stop funding several terrorist organizations. He added: "Turkey is ready to lend all kinds of support for Afghanistan's unity but will follow a very cautious path.". 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. [39], Jamal Ahmed al-Fadl, Osama bin Laden's former business agent, defected to the United States in 1996, and testified to the 9/11 Commission and Congress, that Bin Laden told him in 1993 that the Qatar Charitable Society (QCS), (later renamed Qatar Charity) was one of Bin Laden's several sources of funding. However, the Taliban, which has a long track record of simultaneously courting different partners and playing them against each other to extract concessions, has told Doha that they are exploring alternatives. 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. In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties - since restored - accusing Qatar of getting too close to Iran and fuelling instability via its state-owned news channel Al Jazeera; claims it rejected. The two sides agree on terms including for the U.S. withdrawal of troops and the Taliban to stop attacks on Americans. With much less political baggage than other Arab Gulf states, Qatar saw Afghanistan as a springboard to promote its niche diplomacy. Video, Lyse Doucet on how the past 20 years have shaped Afghans and their hopes and fears for the future, Florida murder suspect arrested after 40 years, Designer can refuse gay couples, top US court says, Australia begins world-first MDMA therapy for PTSD, Sex life of rare 'leopard-print' frog revealed, Finland minister resigns over Nazi references, Rescuers amputate leg of woman stuck in travelator. The talks are to take place in Doha, the capital of the Persian Gulf state of Qatar. Qatars Afghan policy yielded mixed results. "Turkey, being a member of the West, is more susceptible to pressure from the West over [human rights] issues," he says. By [99][100][101][102] On June 7, 2017, Trump offered to mediate in the "crisis" and made a call to Qatar offering help. Roshan Noorzai. Advertising [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. [74] Shortly after, Qatar recalled its ambassador to Egypt for "consultations". After the Taliban regime was toppled, its leaders did not have a place of refuge. Top Democrats and Republicans at the hearing gave tough words to Qatar. The Doha talks culminated in last year's deal under President Donald Trump for an American pull-out of Afghanistan by May this year. Now, after the fall of Kabul, Doha's ties to Afghanistan put it in a unique position. A small part of ISIS's financing operations comes from such donations. By Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan Updates - The New York Times [112], In August 2020, the US State Department sent the Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales to Doha to thank Qatar for their efforts against terrorism and to discuss Qatars role in combating the financing of terrorism, its new Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation and its participation in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. French minister plays down riots as violence continues, 'This was a kid': Paris suburb rocked by killing and riots, Biden's $430bn student loan plan axed by top court, Deciphering Putin's many appearances since mutiny, Why a Japanese horse festival came under fire, 'Instead of saving us they sank the boat', India nurse who delivered more than 10,000 babies, Revellers and reflections: Photos of the week, The surprising truth about frozen fruit. [5], In March 2007, Qatar established the National Counter Terrorism Committee (NCTC)[114] at the Ministry of Interior. Qatar Working With Taliban To Reopen Kabul Airport "As Soon As Possible" Taliban leader claims women are provided with a 'comfortable and prosperous life' in Afghanistan The Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing Afghanistan in August 2021. The law also criminalized cooperation with or membership in organizations or groups outside Qatar that commit a terrorist crime, including crimes not directed against the State of Qatar, and prohibits receiving military training from such organizations or groups located abroad. There are now more than 20 relatively high-ranking Taliban members who live here with their families. On February 11, 2015 Sudan Tribune reported controversial statements by Yahia Sadam, an official of the Minni Minnawi Sudanese liberation movement who accused Qatar of endorsing the genocide perpetrated by Sudanese militiamen in Darfur by funneling money though the Sudanese branch of Qatar Charity, active in Darfur since 2010. Qatar, the tiny but wealthy Sunni Muslim Gulf state, has become famous for punching above its weight. Taliban leader claims women are provided with a - POLITICO Gulf Cooperation Council countries should continue to coordinate their Afghan policy more closely and find a working formula to alleviate the hardship of Afghans. Al-Kawari is also reported to have worked with US and UN terrorist designated al-Qaeda affiliates Mustafa Hajji Muhammad Khan and Ibrahim Isa Haji Muhammad al-Bakr to have funds delivered to al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan. Officials in the small, gas-rich state of Qatar in the Gulf have provided the lifeline for countries trying to exit. Taliban in Qatar - Wikipedia 3 weeks since the Taliban announced that Afghan women were banned from working for any NGO, we're restarting some activities in #Afghanistan where we have reliable assurances for a full & safe . In an interview with Christiane Amanpour on CNN, the Emir stated he does not consider those organizations to be terrorists. Exclusive: Qatar prime minister, Taliban chief hold secret Afghan talks [9], In 2003, the U.S. Congress was made aware that a plethora of charities based in Qatar were supporting al-Qaeda's activities by helping move and launder funds for the terrorist group.
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