Afghan Taliban rule out talks with US in Pakistan

Spokesperson says militant group will not hold any meeting with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad

PESHAWAR: The Afghan Taliban rejected media reports that they were prepared to resume meetings with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad and repeated their refusal to deal directly with the Afghan government.

Media reports suggested that a meeting in Islamabad was in prospect following discussions between Khalilzad and Pakistani officials including Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday.

Pakistan likely to host next round of Afghan peace talks

Senior Taliban leaders said that regional powers including Pakistan had approached them and wanted them to meet the US delegation in Islamabad and also include the Afghan government in the peace process but that the approaches had been rejected.

“We wanted to make it clear that we will not hold any meeting with Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad,” Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement.

Talks between the two sides have stalled after the Taliban accused Khalilzad of straying from the agreed agenda and there is no clarity on when they may resume.

“We have made it clear again and again that we would never hold any meeting with the Afghan government as we know that they are not capable of addressing our demands,” said a senior Taliban leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to the US, any settlement in Afghanistan must be between the internationally recognised Afghan government and the Taliban, who have so far refused to talk to an administration they describe as an illegitimate puppet regime.

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The Taliban leader said peace talks with the US delegation could resume if they were assured that only three issues would be discussed - a US withdrawal from Afghanistan, an exchange of prisoners and lifting a ban on the movement of Taliban leaders.

Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad on Thursday and met Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other officials.

A foreign office statement said, “The two sides reviewed developments post-Abu Dhabi, in order to take the Afghan peace process forward”.