President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey has held its first talks with the Taliban in Kabul, adding that Ankara was still assessing the Islamist group's offer to run the Afghan capital's airport.

The Turkish leader said the talks were held at a military section of the Kabul airport where the Turkish embassy is temporarily stationed.&nbsp;

"We have held our first talks with the Taliban, which lasted 3.5 hours," Erdogan told reporters. "If necessary, we will have the opportunity to hold such talks again."

Responding to domestic criticism over Turkey's engagement with the insurgent group, Erdogan said Ankara had "no luxury" to stand idly by in the volatile region.

"You cannot know what their expectations are or what our expectations are without talking. What's diplomacy, my friend? This is diplomacy," Erdogan said.&nbsp;

Turkey had been planning to help secure and run Kabul's strategic airport, but on Wednesday, it started pulling troops out of Afghanistan -- an apparent sign of Ankara's abandoning this goal.&nbsp;

Erdogan said the Taliban now wanted to oversee security at the airport, while offering Ankara the option of running its logistics.

But he said the suicide bombs that killed at least 85 people, including 13 US troops, outside the airport during in the last days of urgent evacuation effort Thursday showed the importance of knowing the details of how the air hub will be secured.

"They said: 'We will ensure the security, you operate (the airport'. We have not made any decision on this issue yet," Erdogan said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey has held its first talks with the Taliban in Kabul, adding that Ankara was still assessing the Islamist group's offer to run the Afghan capital's airport.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey has held its first talks with the Taliban in Kabul, adding that Ankara was still assessing the Islamist group's offer to run the Afghan capital's airport. The Turkish leader said the talks were held at a military section of the Kabul airport where the Turkish embassy is temporarily stationed. "We have held our first talks with the Taliban, which lasted 3.5 hours," Erdogan told reporters. "If necessary, we will have the opportunity to hold such talks again." Responding to domestic criticism over Turkey's engagement with the insurgent group, Erdogan said Ankara had "no luxury" to stand idly by in the volatile region. "You cannot know what their expectations are or what our expectations are without talking. What's diplomacy, my friend? This is diplomacy," Erdogan said. Turkey had been planning to help secure and run Kabul's strategic airport, but on Wednesday, it started pulling troops out of Afghanistan -- an apparent sign of Ankara's abandoning this goal. Erdogan said the Taliban now wanted to oversee security at the airport, while offering Ankara the option of running its logistics. But he said the suicide bombs that killed at least 85 people, including 13 US troops, outside the airport during in the last days of urgent evacuation effort Thursday showed the importance of knowing the details of how the air hub will be secured. "They said: 'We will ensure the security, you operate (the airport'. We have not made any decision on this issue yet," Erdogan said.

Turkey holds first talks with the Taliban in Kabul: Erdogan

Turkey talks on the Afghan peace process between the Afghan government&nbsp;and the Taliban are likely to take place on April 16 in Istanbul.

The talks were one of the proposals by Washington when US Secretary of State&nbsp;Antony Blinken wrote to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Earlier the talks were happening in Doha.

While dates for the talks are formally yet to be announced, the&nbsp;Taliban is still to give its formal nod as it drags its feet. The view is that the Taliban is keen that the May 1 deadline of withdrawal of American troops passes, and they get a moral high ground when they sit across the table in Istanbul.&nbsp;

But for Kabul, the Taliban hasn't changed, and the group if in power will try to reverse the gains of the last 20 years. One senior Afghan govt official speaking WION from Kabul said, "plan is to bring Taliban back, control Kabul and get back Islamabad's role on Afghan domestic affairs".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ahead-of-turkey-meet-afghan-president-ghani-briefs-indian-other-envoys-on-his-peace-plan-375703">Ahead of Turkey meet, Afghan President Ghani briefs Indian, other envoys on his peace plan</a>

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, after the American invasion, the country has made strides in basic human liberties, women's rights. Afghan Envoy to Washington to UN, US are women, 1/5 of Afghan cabinet is women, many provincial governors are women.&nbsp;

The Afghan officials don't see a change in the Taliban's stance. The official, speaking on anonymity explained, "Taliban hasn't changed, they are hot at feet and cold at heart."

The violence level in Afghanistan remains high, with provinces like Helmand and Kandahar continuing to witness violence. But the Afghan side doesn't see the repetition of the 1990s when the Taliban was able to rule the country with its own archaic laws.

"We would rather choose to fight than live a life of slave...we will never give up our integrity", the official pointed out. Currently, Afghan forces&nbsp;led 98 per cent&nbsp;of operations in the country, and since 2014, all major operations have been done by Afghan authorities. This includes the killing of number two&nbsp;of Al Qaeda.

&nbsp;

Turkey talks on the Afghan peace process between the Afghan government and the Taliban are likely to take place on April 16 in Istanbul. The talks were one of the proposals by Washington when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Turkey talks on the Afghan peace process between the Afghan government and the Taliban are likely to take place on April 16 in Istanbul. The talks were one of the proposals by Washington when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Earlier the talks were happening in Doha. While dates for the talks are formally yet to be announced, the Taliban is still to give its formal nod as it drags its feet. The view is that the Taliban is keen that the May 1 deadline of withdrawal of American troops passes, and they get a moral high ground when they sit across the table in Istanbul. But for Kabul, the Taliban hasn't changed, and the group if in power will try to reverse the gains of the last 20 years. One senior Afghan govt official speaking WION from Kabul said, "plan is to bring Taliban back, control Kabul and get back Islamabad's role on Afghan domestic affairs". Also read| Ahead of Turkey meet, Afghan President Ghani briefs Indian, other envoys on his peace plan Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, after the American invasion, the country has made strides in basic human liberties, women's rights. Afghan Envoy to Washington to UN, US are women, 1/5 of Afghan cabinet is women, many provincial governors are women. The Afghan officials don't see a change in the Taliban's stance. The official, speaking on anonymity explained, "Taliban hasn't changed, they are hot at feet and cold at heart." The violence level in Afghanistan remains high, with provinces like Helmand and Kandahar continuing to witness violence. But the Afghan side doesn't see the repetition of the 1990s when the Taliban was able to rule the country with its own archaic laws. "We would rather choose to fight than live a life of slave...we will never give up our integrity", the official pointed out. Currently, Afghan forces led 98 per cent of operations in the country, and since 2014, all major operations have been done by Afghan authorities. This includes the killing of number two of Al Qaeda.

Turkey talks on Afghanistan likely on April 16, Kabul does not see any change in Taliban

turkey-afghanistan

Turkey Afghanistan, News on Turkey Afghanistan, stories on Turkey Afghanistan, articles on Turkey Afghanistan, Turkey Afghanistan stories at Wion, Turkey Afghanistan news, Turkey Afghanistan latest news

turkey afghanistan

Turkey holds first talks with the Taliban in Kabul: Erdogan

Turkey talks on Afghanistan likely on April 16, Kabul does not see any change in Taliban