Afghanistan's Taliban is denying media reports that the group is planning to hold peace talks with U.S. representatives in Qatar, as early as Thursday. A spokesman for the Islamist insurgency, Zabihullah Mujahid contacted VOA by phone to say that the media reports are "fabricated and not true." U.S. officials have not commented on the reports. Reuters news agency quoted sources within the Taliban that the militant group is planning to hold talks with U.S. officials in Qatar on Thursday. The Taliban's political office is located in Qatar’s capital Doha, where the group's representatives make contact with the international community. Other foreign media have reported a meeting could occur in the coming days or weeks. The Taliban has long insisted it wants to hold talks with the United States before engaging in peace negotiations with Kabul. In the past, representatives have made three conditions for moving forward with Afghan peace talks: settling on the time frame for the complete withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, releasing all Taliban prisoners from U.S. custody and removing Taliban leaders’ names from the U.N. sanctions list that freezes their assets and bans their travel. Pakistan’s army and intelligence chiefs were in Kabul on Tuesday this week, meeting with senior Afghan leaders to discuss efforts to improve cooperation in the fight against the Taliban. During his visit, Army chief Raheel Sharif said the “enemies of Afghanistan are the enemies of Pakistan.” Media reports also have claimed that Pakistani authorities are pressuring the Afghan Taliban to enter peace talks with the new government in Kabul in the coming month.
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1CMwTms
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1CMwTms
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