Afghan Taliban clarify no interview given to endorse peace talks

PESHAWAR: The Afghan Taliban on Sunday denied that one of their high-ranking members of political commission based in Qatar had given an interview in which he quoted as saying that their supreme leader Mulla Mohammad Omar was keen to hold peace talks with the Afghan government.
In a statement, the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that Qari Din Mohammad, the high-ranking member of the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s political office in Qatar, had given an interview to a Turkish news agency. He said no interview has been given to any media organization.
In the interview, Qari Din Mohammad was quoted as saying that the peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government would begin in Kabul next week. He was also quoted as saying that Mulla Omar was keen to hold the peace talks and would soon announce the names of the Taliban delegation for the dialogue with the Afghan government.
The report by the Turkish news agency also said Qari Din Mohammad recently paid a visit to Pakistan and held talks with the Pakistani authorities before returning to Qatar.