ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi M. Khalilullah said on Thursday that Prime Minister Nawaz Shar…
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Gul Zaman had been appointed deputy leader of the “Khorasan Province”, the fast-growing Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant branch in Afghanistan.
However, Hezb-i-Islami, another significant Taliban faction, did not participate in the talks. After the first round of direct peace talks was completed, the two sides reportedly agreed to continue negotiations after Ramadan.
Several informal meetings have been held in recent months between Taliban representatives and Afghan officials and activists, but Tuesday’s meeting is seen as a step forward.
“There may be some differences, but it is their own issue to discuss, and reach an agreement on”, he said. He said that Pakistan was committed to supporting an Afghan led and Afghan owned peace process.
That may be the case now, as well: No sooner had the talks begun than it became apparent that the Taliban were divided about whether to engage in a process facilitated by Pakistan.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ended its combat mission at the end of December, leaving Afghan forces to battle the resurgent Taliban on their own.
“Political progress is connected to military progress”, said the Taliban official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media.
“In that meeting, a detailed discussion will be focused on preventing bloodshed in Afghanistan”, he told reporters in Kabul.
Shahid presented an announcement in October one year ago, making known concord with the use of ISIS together with other troop in Syria.
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Nearly 50 other militants also died in the attack in the eastern Achin district of Nangarhar province, where IS has recently gained further territory after pushing out Taliban fighters.
