ISLAMABAD – One of the Taliban’s founders arrived in Qatar for Monday’stalks with the US, Taliban sources told the BBC, raising chances of a peacedeal.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar spent eight years in Pakistani custody until hisrelease last year. He is now in charge of the Taliban political office inQatar but until now he has remained in Pakistan.
Last month’s US-Taliban talks in Qatar made progress in ending 17 years ofconflict in Afghanistan, the US said.
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad did not give details but said theunprecedented six days of talks were “more productive than they have beenin the past”. The Taliban also said progress had been made in thenegotiations.
However, a spokesperson said talks about “unsolved matters” wouldcontinue. The Taliban have so far refused to hold direct talks with Afghanofficials, whom they dismiss as “puppets”.
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They say they will only begin negotiations with the government once a firmdate for the withdrawal of US troops has been agreed. After last month’stalks, Taliban sources were also quoted by Reuters as saying the two sideshad finalised clauses to be included in a draft agreement.
They reportedly envisaged foreign forces withdrawing within 18 months ofthe deal being signed in return for assurances that al-Qaeda and theIslamic State (IS) group would not be allowed to use Afghanistan as a baseto attack the US. The Taliban’s power and reach have surged since foreigncombat troops left Afghanistan in 2014.
