KABUL resumed peace talks in Doha on Saturday — almost two months after President Donald Trump abruptly halted the process.
“The focus of discussions will be a reduction of violence that leads to intra-Afghan negotiations and a ceasefire,” a credible source confided to Pajhwok Afghan News.
The source said the negotiations had started Saturday morning in Doha and a possible deal between Taliban and the US could be signed until December 15.
A Qatar-based official said three Taliban figures, who were recently released from Bagram prison in return for two professors, also attended the talks.
Mullah Mohammad Omar’s son Mullah Yaqoob Akhund, who is also in Doha, is believed to have participated in the parleys.
Meanwhile, spokesman for Taliban’s Qatar office Sohail Shaheen also confirmed the resumption of talks and said Anas Haqqani also attended the negotiations.
Two days back, US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad paid a two-day visit to Kabul where he held talks with top government officials and prominent politicians, including former president Hamid Karzai.
Earlier in the week, the US State Department said Khalilzad would rejoin talks with the Taliban on steps that could pave the way for intra-Afghan parleys and a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
The State Department also lent its weight to Kabul’s precondition of a ceasefire for any negotiations with the insurgent outfit.
During his recent surprise visit to Afghanistan, President Donald Trump had announced the resumption of peace parleys with the Taliban.
sa/mud
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