City
Epaper

Taliban-US talks resume in Doha following delay

By IANS | Updated: December 8, 2019 03:55 IST

The Taliban confirmed that stalled peace talks in Doha with the United States had "resumed" three months after they were abruptly called off by US President Donald Trump.

Open in App

"Today the Islamic Emirate Negotiation team, led by respected Mullah Baradar Akhund, resumed the talks with the US negotiation team from where they were called off," Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban's spokesperson for their office in Qatar, said on Twitter on Saturday, Efe news reported.

"Talks were held about the signing of the agreement and other related issues and the talks will continue tomorrow as well," Shaheen said, referring to a draft agreement that was "completed" during the ninth round of talks between the two sides before Trump called off dialog in September.

Anas Haqqani, the son of the founder of the deadly Haqqani network insurgent group, who was released in November from an Afghan jail during a prisoner swap, took part in Saturday's talks, according to Shaheen.

Haqqani and two of other high-ranking Taliban members were released by the Afghan government with US mediation in exchange for two western professors as a trust building measure.

The move also aimed to pave the way for the resumption of the stalled talks as well as intra-Afghan talks between the Taliban and the government.

The Taliban has rejected the possibility of holding face to face talks with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, claiming it lacks power and serves as a puppet to the west.

US Envoy for Afghan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, played an active role in the prisoner exchange and has been leading the US delegation in the talks for over a year.

Before flying to Qatar for the peace talks, Khalilzad held a series of meetings with Afghan leaders and politic, including Ghani.

Ghani and Khalilzad discussed a ceasefire and Taliban safe havens in Pakistan.

Although a ceasefire or at least a reduction in violence has been one of the top demands of the Afghan government in recent months, the Taliban has refused to agree to a cessation in hostilities, arguing a peace deal needed to be signed with the US first.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: TalibanusAshraf Ghani
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalNorth Carolina Plane Crash: Retired NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle and Family Among Seven Killed in Statesville Jet Crash

International'Warrior Dividend': Donald Trump Announces $1,776 Christmas Bonus to Active US Soldiers

BusinessUS Stock Exchange Nasdaq Moves Toward 24-Hour Trading, How Will Impact on Indian Share Market

BusinessIndia’s November 2025 Exports Hit Three-Year High Despite US Tariffs

InternationalUS: Two Elderly People Found Dead at Film Director Rob Reiner’s Los Angeles Residence

International Realted Stories

InternationalDutch FM reaffirms counter-terror cooperation with India amid arms export concerns

InternationalAssistant High Commission affected by protests not welcome, host govt must ensure safety: Tharoor on Bangladesh unrest

International"FTAs with like-minded partners are critical, hope we reach conclusion soon": Netherlands Minister on proposed India-EU trade pact

InternationalJaishankar seeks Dutch support as India-EU FTA enters "decisive phase"

InternationalPakistani forces forcibly disappear one more woman in Balochistan