Asia | Afghanistan and the Taliban
Distant hopes
Optimism flickers about the prospects for peace
|KABUL
EVEN by Afghanistan’s murderous, war-torn standards (see chart) it has been a gory week. More than 100 civilians were injured or killed in acts of terrorism in just 48 hours. Yet, after the first meeting in years this month between an Afghan government delegation and senior leaders of the Taliban insurgency, the prospects for peace actually look better than for a long time.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "Distant hopes"
More from Asia
Japan and South Korea are struggling with old-age poverty
Their problems may be instructive for other countries
The Philippines bans some genetically modified foods
But golden rice could help thousands of nutrient-deficient children
Meet the maharajas of the world’s biggest democracy
Indian officialdom still treats citizens like subjects