Ayaz Gul VOA News June 12, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The leader of Afghanistan’s Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, renewed his call Tuesday for direct talks with the United States to end the war, dashing renewed hopes the insurgent group might be mulling to engage in a peace dialogue with the Kabul government. In his “message of felicitation” on
Ayaz Gul VOA News June 9, 2018 ISLAMABAD — The Taliban announced Saturday it will halt offensive operations against government security forces across Afghanistan during three-day festivities of Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The cease-fire coincides with the unilateral weeklong halting of anti-Taliban operations by the Afghan
Mohammad Habibzada VOA News May 7, 2018 WASHINGTON — A high-ranking Taliban member is calling for peace in Afghanistan. The comment by shadow chief justice, Mawlawi Abdul Hokom came in a letter to Taliban leader Habtullah Akhundzada. Hokom said all Afghans, including those living in Taliban or Afghan government-controlled areas, are tired of war and want
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty January 18, 2018 The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says that Afghanistan is getting closer to holding peace talks with the Taliban as a result of a new Afghan strategy put in place by the United States last year. The remarks by Ambassador Nikki Haley at the UN in New
Tolo News: Kandahar’s police chief General Abdul Raziq said that Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada visited Helmand a week and a half ago where he met with Taliban members. Raziq said that the visit had been at the request of Pakistan’s intelligence services, ISI. According to him, the Taliban leader visited Mosa Qala in Helmand after
Ayaz Gul VOA News August 30, 2017 ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — The fugitive leader of the Afghan Taliban renewed his call Wednesday for U.S. and NATO forces to leave the country, saying that would pave the way to peacefully resolve the armed conflict. The remarks by Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzada came in a message to mark the coming
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty July 22, 2017 The son of Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada died on July 20 carrying out a suicide attack in the embattled Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman said on July 22. A government official said authorities were investigating the incident and could not confirm that Haibatullah’s son
Ayaz Gul VOA News June 23, 2017 ISLAMABAD — The leader of Afghanistan’s Taliban says the United States will be “making a mistake” by increasing its troop numbers to combat the insurgents, who have vowed to fight until the end of the “illegitimate [foreign] occupation” of the country. Maulavi Haibatullah Akhunzadah made the remarks Friday in
Tolo News: In a meeting with the UN Security Council’s sanction committee on Monday, President Ashraf Ghani asked the organization to add a number of terrorists – including Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada’s name – to its sanctions list. According to a press release issued by the Presidential Palace on Monday, Ghani stressed the Afghan government’s
Ayaz Gul VOA News October 18, 2016 ISLAMABAD — The Taliban has formally refuted reports of secret meetings with Afghan government officials, insisting there has been no change in the group’s policy for holding peace negotiations. The Guardian newspaper, in an exclusive article published Tuesday, quoted anonymous Afghan officials and sources within the Taliban as confirming