Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 8, 2016 The United States on March 7 appealed to the Taliban to join peace talks to prevent another upsurge in fighting this spring. The Taliban said on March 5 that it would not take part in peace talks with the Afghan government, citing its longstanding demand that all foreign
Khaama Press: Direct peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban militants group has reportedly been postponed for a week or two, a day after Taliban rejected participation in the talks. Javid Faisal, deputy spokesman for Chief Executive Officer, has said the talks will likely start with some delays, despite the government was fully prepared for the
VOA News Ayaz Gul March 5, 2016 ISLAMABAD—Afghanistan’s Taliban has cast further doubt on prospects for peace talks with the Kabul government. In a Pashto language statement given to VOA Saturday, the Taliban said its leadership has not yet decided to engage in peace talks with the Kabul government because it believes no such effort
Michael Hughes: Just as the spirit of rapprochement between Kabul and Islamabad is in the air on the eve of talks with the insurgency, it appears Pakistan’s military chieftains have sunk to a new nadir amid reports they are supporting Daesh, otherwise known as the Islamic State, the sworn enemy of the Taliban and Al
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 28, 2016 Two suicide bombings in Afghanistan that killed at least 28 people on February 27 have thrown the prospects of peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban in doubt. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says his government will not hold peace talks with any militant faction that kills innocent Afghan
Khaama Press: An Afghan government official privy of the development has told Radio Free Europe (RFE) that the 10 influential Taliban figures have been identified by the Afghan government. The official speaking on the condition of anonymity further added that leaders of the Haqqani network were also among those influential leaders. Click here to read more (external
Khaama Press: The Hezb-e-Islami party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar officials have said they will consider an invitation to the proposed peace talks likely to take place in the first week of March. A senior leader of the party based in Pakistan has said they have not received any formal invitation for the direct talks so far, a
VOA News / February 24, 2016 Akmal Dawi After more than a year of political wrangling with allies in Afghanistan’s national unity government, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani this week announced the composition of a new seven-member High Peace Council (HPC), and again called on the Taliban and other insurgent groups to stop fighting and choose
By RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan February 24, 2016 The Afghan Taliban’s office in Qatar has told RFE/RL that it continues to insist that all foreign troops in the U.S.-led coalition must leave Afghanistan before it will join direct peace talks with the government in Kabul. Mohammad Naim, the official spokesman for the Taliban’s political office
VOA News February 23, 2016 With the announcement of a new round of Afghan peace talks by the first week of March, Pakistan’s military appears to be retaining its role as a key dealmaker in the process. On Monday, Pakistan’s army chief, General Raheel Sharif, met officials from Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political