Qatar warns isolating Taliban could further destabilize Afghanistan

German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas and Qatar's Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani attend a press conference in Doha, Qatar, August 31, 2021. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar's foreign minister on Tuesday warned that isolating the Taliban could lead to further instability and urged countries to engage with the hardline Islamist movement to address security and socioeconomic concerns in Afghanistan.

The U.S.-allied Gulf Arab state has emerged as a key interlocutor to the Taliban, having hosted the group's political office since 2013.