Moscow to host international talks on Afghanistan on Oct. 20

Moscow plans to host international talks on Afghanistan on Oct. 20, President Vladimir Putin’s special representative on Afghanistan said on Thursday.

Zamir Kabulov, the representative, did not provide further details on the planned talks in comments carried by Russian news agencies.

Moscow hosted an international conference on Afghanistan in March at which Russia, the United States, China, and Pakistan released a joint statement calling on the then-warring Afghan sides to reach a peace deal and curb violence.

It also called on the Taliban not to launch any offensives in the spring and summer.

Since then, the United States and its allies withdrew foreign troops after 20 years, the Taliban seized power in a lightning advance and the previous government collapsed.