DOHA – The US special envoy tasked with forging a peace deal with theTaliban said Saturday that America stands ready for “all sides” to lay downarms in the 17-year conflict.
Peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is leading the latest round of talks with theTaliban in Doha, where the two foes are pursuing a deal that would see thewithdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in return for Talibansecurity guarantees.
“All sides laying down arms is the outcome of any peace process,”Khalilzad tweeted.
“All sides agreeing to reduce violence is a necessary step towardachieving that outcome and the morally responsible choice to make. We standready.”
Khalilzad’s comments come a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani saidhe was prepared to call an “immediate” and “permanent” ceasefire — but theTaliban appeared to rebuff the offer.
Ghani had also offered to release 175 prisoners as a goodwill gesture. Histalk of a ceasefire comes as momentum builds in various Afghan peace talks.
Thousands of tribal elders, women and representatives met last week at amassive “loya jirga” peace summit in Kabul, which ended with a demand for aceasefire between government and Taliban forces.
The talks between the Taliban and the US, who have met about a half dozentimes in recent months, are taking place separately in the Qatari capitalDoha.
Neither Khalilzad or the Taliban have said much about progress in theirlatest talks, but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Friday tweetedthat America should “forget about the idea of us putting down our arms” and”stop repeating failed strategies & expecting different outcomes.”
Last year, the Taliban announced a three-day ceasefire at the end ofRamadan after Ghani declared a unilateral truce for eight days earlier inthe month.
It was first formal nationwide ceasefire since the US-led invasion of 2001and saw unprecedented scenes of reconciliation and jubilation across thecountry.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s war rages on, with thousands of civilians andfighters being killed each year.
US forces continue to train Afghan partners on the ground and strike theTaliban from the air, in a bid to push the war to a political settlement.-APP/AFP