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The Taliban on Wednesday rejected reports of secret meetings with the Afghan government in a bid to resume long-stalled peace negotiations, insisting that their hard line policy remains unchanged.
Afghan officials on Tuesday claimed they held two meetings since September in Doha, where the Taliban maintain a political office, after the news was first reported by Britain's The Guardian newspaper.
But Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement rejected any reports of talks or meetings.
Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, Afghanistan's intelligence chief, and National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar had attended one of the Qatar meetings, Afghanistan's Tolo television said citing a presidential palace source.
“The representatives of the Islamic Emirate have not met with Stanekzai or any other officials. Our stance about the negotiations has not changed. Our policy is very clear on that,” Mujahid said, referring to the Taliban's official title.
The Taliban have long insisted on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan as a precondition for peace talks with the government.
The Guardian said the talks were attended by Mullah Abdull Manan Akhund, brother of Taliban founder and long-time leader Mullah Omar who died in 2013.
A senior American diplomat was also present in the Qatar meetings, the newspaper said citing a Taliban official.
The dialogue process ground to a halt when the US killed former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike in Pakistan in May.
The insurgency has shown stubborn resilience under new Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, attacking northern Kunduz city for a second time and threatening the capital of the southern opium-rich province of Helmand.
Comments (18) Closed
Why don't these people speak to Afghan government and start participating in the government in democratic way?
The pre condition according to my mind is logical to the point.
Pakistan should adopt a wise and sustained diplomacy of building an international image of a peace loving progressive nation without any alignment with Taliban. Pakistan is an Islamic country and not Terrorists abode.We have all resource at our command but image building is pre requisite and catalyst for its enviable achievement in all fields
@Ahsan Unfortunately Pakistan rulers doesn't entertain same thoughts as your.
I hope that sanity would prevail among the contending parties. There have been a lot of innocent victims because of the intransigence of the major players in this protracted Afhgan Conflict.
Need to get out of this Taliban mindset and develop the country as Jinnah had envisioned. Had we developed high quality Universities and schools 25 years ago, we would riding a development wave.
@Indian' To understand them, you have to live with them.
Afghan government should announce the name of one of the Taliban coordinator who was there. Take the gas out of Taliban's balloon. Unless India has its hand in any type of Afghan propaganda. Then I believe Taliban.
@Ahsan, Very well said. But Pakistan should also be on guard that Indian RAW does not have any presence in Afghanistan. There is no need of 17 Indian consulates in small cities along Pakistani border.
Usual denial tactics of the culprits.
Incompetent Afghan government official love to blow their trumpet even before there is any substantial development which stalls the whole process
@Indian we could ask the same about the indian government in occupied Kashmir no?
they should carry on talking, split the talibs who want to make peace and they will end up killing each other.
They are playing the double game with us.
15 years of US war in Afghanistan has brought nothing but chaos in our whole region. The "preconditions" should be met for the sake of bringing peace in their country.
Taliban is not an elected government.
@M. Siddique there are only 4 consulates, one in Jalalabad other in Kandahar, which means two along with Pakistan border; and other two in Mazar Sharif and Herat bordering Uzbekistan and Iran respectively.
This report itself reveals that Taliban are a force to reckon with. They are not tissue papers as was presumed by ignorant planners sitting in fools paradise (nicknamed pentagon)thousands of miles away