Could a transitional government 'end the current violence' in Afghanistan?

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday made his first public appearance since the Taliban quickened the pace of their offensive ahead of the United States' departure from the country. As the insurgents continue to seize provincial capitals and head toward Kabul, Ghani said in a televised speech that he has begun "consultations" with other political leaders in Afghanistan.

He did not go into detail about those consultations, but Victoria Fontan, a professor of peace studies at the American University in Afghanistan, told Al Jazeera it's possible he may be working on a transition to a different government — a step American University in Afghanistan law professor Haroun Rahimi believes will be necessary to avoid a "worst case scenario."

Fontan said it's possible "this solution could end the current violence," though she added that the Taliban "have already rejected this type of negotiated settlement." Read more at Al Jazeera.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up