Negotiations with Underground Factions in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2012

Description

Secret negotiations are a traditional type of operation in warfare conducted by Afghan peoples.
There are always negotiations with all parties to the conflict. From late 2001 until 2012, there have
been three phases of secret negotiations: Phase 1: Mullah Omar is willing to surrender (end of
2001 until 2004), Phase 2: Saudi Arabia, the ISI and the German Federal Foreign Office/Federal
Intelligence Service (BND) arrange direct negotiations (2008 until January 2012) and Phase 3: Begin of direct negotiations with underground factions (from early 2012). The negotiations are
conducted with the Quetta Shura of the Taliban, which opened an office in Doha in early 2012.
Moreover, negotiations are conducted with the Hizb-i Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) of Gulbuddin Hek
matyar, which has opened representations in Norway and in the United States. The most impor
tant negotiation partner is the Haqqani network from the Zadran tribe in Eastern Afghanistan.