Taliban say they will not take part in Afghan peace talks

Demand end to US air raids, withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan;Obama, Ghani discuss peace talks

KABUL: The Taliban said on Saturday they would not take part in peace talks brokered by a four-way group including representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States.

Following a meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group made up of representatives of the four countries in Kabul in February, officials said they expected direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban to begin in early March.

But the Taliban publicly denied they would be participating in any upcoming talks in Islamabad. With the American troops remaining in the country conducting air strikes and special operations raids in support of the Kabul government, the Taliban would not participate in talks, the group said in a statement.

“We reject all such rumours and unequivocally state that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has not authorised anyone to participate in this meeting,” the statement said.

“(Islamic Emirate) once again reiterates that unless the occupation of Afghanistan is ended, blacklists eliminated and innocent prisoners freed, such futile misleading negotiations will not bear any results.”

Direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban have been on hold since last year’s announcement of the death of the movement’s founder and long-time leader Mulla Omar some two years earlier. New leader Mulla Akhtar Mansour has laid down preconditions for taking part in any talks as he struggles to overcome factional infighting, with some breakaway groups opposing any negotiations whatsoever.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama, during a video conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Friday noted Ghani’s role in “working with Afghanistan’s neighbours to deepen regional cooperation and advance the reconciliation process with the Taliban,” the White House said.Obama also “underscored US support for a peace process that reduces violence and ensures lasting stability in Afghanistan and the region,” the White House said in a statement.