US-Taliban talks kick off in Doha

PESHAWAR: With participation of top Taliban leader, Mulla Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Afghan Taliban and US officials on Monday resumed their peace talks in Qatar, raising hopes that the two sides are closing in on a peace deal to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan, stated to be America’s longest war so far.

Senior members of the Afghan Taliban said that Mulla Abdul Baradar, head of Taliban’s political council, who landed in Qatar on Sunday evening, participated in the first meeting. He was freed by Pakistani authorities last year. The US and Afghan government had demanded his release to play his role in the peace process.

Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Qatari foreign minister had invited Mulla Baradar and had sent a special plane that took him and three other senior members of their political council to Doha on Sunday evening. The spokesman said Mulla Baradar attended the introductory meeting and stressed the need for peace talks to find a solution to the Afghan conflict.

Also, Mujahid said he also expressed his confidence on the Taliban negotiation team. Taliban chief negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai will continue to lead the Taliban in the peace talks.

According to Taliban sources, they would discuss two major issues in the peace talks, including a framework of US withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban’s commitment not to let the Afghan soil being used against any country, particularly the United States and its allies.

“As per plan of the meeting agenda, we are set to talk on these two issues only. But our team is expected to raise some other issues as well such prisoners’ swap and lifting ban on movement of senior Taliban leaders.

Taliban claimed the sanctions on movement on certain leaders by the UN Security Council had prevented them to travel to other countries. Interestingly, despite these sanctions, certain senior Taliban leaders had visited a number of countries including Iran, China, Russian, Indonesia, etc.

Taliban sources said they learnt that Zalmay Khalilzad and his team would push them on announcing a ceasefire, saying they would think about a ceasefire at a latter stage when all other issues are resolved with the US.

According to Taliban sources, their meeting is expected to be continued till Thursday. However, they said talks could be prolonged if needed. Their last talks continued for six days in Doha.

Taliban said that besides their Qatar-based leaders, senior officials of Qatar foreign office received Mulla Baradar and three other senior Taliban members at the airport. Taliban sources said their 14-member delegation participated in the introductory meeting.

Mulla Baradar led a 14-member Taliban delegation while US representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad headed his 15-memebr team in the first day meeting. Earlier, some of the Taliban leaders were of the view that Mulla Baradar would travel to Qatar but may not participate in the peace talks. His participation in the introductory meeting dispelled all rumours.

Other Taliban members who attended meeting included, Maulvi Ziaur Rahman Madani, Maulvi Abdus Salam Hanafi, Sheikh Shahabuddin Dilawar, Mulla Abdul Lateef Mansoor, Mulla Abdul Manan Omari, Maulvi Ameer Khan Muttaqi, Mulla Mohammad Fazil Mazloom, Mulla Khairullah Khairkhwa, Mulla Noorullah Noori, Maulvi Mohammad Nabi Omari and Mulla Abdul Haq Waseeq.

Mulla Mohammad Anas Haqqani, son of late Mujahideen leader, Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani and younger brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, deputy to Taliban supreme leader Maulvi Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, and leader of the Haqqani Network, was the only member of the political council who could not participate in the talks.

He is presently in jail in Afghanistan. His name is on top of the prisoners’ list which the Taliban had shared with the US delegation for their likely exchange.

According to Taliban sources, initially there was some misunderstanding among some of the people and they thought if Mulla Baradar was powerless and that’s why he couldn’t go to Qatar for talks.

“It was not the case. He was all powerful to make decisions. Some Taliban leaders wanted him to go to Qatar but should not participate in peace talks,” said the Taliban leader. He said Mulla Baradar had some issues of documents such as passport and visa but he was arranged a passport and visa.

According to Taliban sources, senior leaders including Mulla Ameer Khan Muttaqi, Mulla Abdul Lateef Mansoor, and Mulla Abdul Manan Omari, younger brother of late Mulla Mohammad Omar, the founding leader of Afghan Taliban, accompanied Mulla Baradar Akhund.

Taliban said their supreme leader Maulvi Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada had issued a letter and announced that Mulla Baradar had all the powers as head of the political council to handle peace talks with the US and make decisions.

An excited Zalmay Khalilzad in a tweet stated that the team sent by Taliban had more clout than previous ones. “Arrived in Doha to meet with a more authoritative Taliban delegation,” he said in a tweet on Monday.

He later tweeted: “just finished a working lunch with Mullah Baradar and his team…..Now moving on to talks.” “The path to peace doesn’t often run in a straight line. The situation in Afghanistan is complex and like all sensitive talks, not everything is conducted in public. Let me take a moment to explain where we are...

We made significant progress on two vital issues: counter terrorism and troop withdrawal. That doesn't mean we're done. We're not even finished with these issues yet, and there is still work to be done on other vital issues like intra-Afghan dialogue and a complete ceasefire,” explained Zalmay Khalilzad.