KABUL – Presidential Palace, ARG, on Monday said the individuals whoattended an unofficial peace talks meeting with the Taliban delegation inTurkey did not represent the Afghan government, TOLO News has reported.
“The individuals who have held talks with some members of the Taliban inTurkey do not represent the Afghan government,” President Ghani’s spokesmanShahussain Murtazawi said. “The Afghan government will inform the people ofAfghanistan about any talks which will be held with the armed opponents.”
The statement comes a day after Mawlawi Abdul Rauf, a purported Talibanleader who led the peace talks delegation in Turkey, claimed that theyrepresent all Taliban factions in the negotiations with the Afghangovernment officials.
Information obtained by TOLOnews indicate that the envoys who talked withthe Taliban delegation in Turkey were not representing the government ofAfghanistan.
Who Were Taliban Members Who Attended The Talks?
Mawlawi Abdul Rauf was governor of Paktia during the Taliban regime inAfghanistan – 1996 to 2001. He did not have any sort of contacts with thegroup over the recent years, information obtained by TOLOnews show.
The second person in the Taliban delegation is Mullah Abdul Halim who runsa madrassa, religious school, in the border town of Chaman in Pakistan’sBaluchistan province. He is a native resident of Kandahar province in thesouth of Afghanistan.
The third person in the Taliban delegation is Rahmatullah who reportedlyowns a shop in Quetta City of Pakistan and has not link with the Taliban.
There is no sufficient information about the identity of the fourthindividual named Mawlawi Sultan.
The fifth individual is Mullah Dawa Jan Ahmadzai who owns a tourism companyin Pakistan’s Peshawar City. It is said that he is either has no link withthe Taliban.
The Taliban delegation claimed that they represent the Islamic Emirate ofthe Taliban and all those Taliban factions which strongly support anAfghan-owned and Afghan-led dialogue.
“High level Taliban members hopefully will take part in the official roundof meeting (in the future),” said Mawlawi Abdul Rauf told TOLOnews.
The Status Of The Talks
Humayun Jarir, who claimed he attended the talks from government side, toldTOLOnews that the negotiations were unofficial and that they will discussmechanisms to pave the ground for official talks between the two sides.
Humayun Jarir and Abbas Basir, who attended the peace talks, are advisorsto President Ashraf Ghani. They said they represented the High PeaceCouncil and the government in the talks.
Analysts meanwhile said they welcome any talks which will help ensure peacein Afghanistan.
“It was better that the international community and the people ofAfghanistan both engage in talks with mainstream Taliban by recognizing theQatar office,” said political analyst Nazar Mohammad Mutmaen.
It is not the first time that the peace talks between the two sides sparkcontroversy. Previously, certain people who disguised as Taliban peacemakers managed to attain special privilege from the Afghan government underthe name of representing the group in the peace discussions.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, has rejected the meeting, claimingthat the delegation does not represent the group.