An Afghan policeman at his checkpoint in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
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The Taliban statement, however, says the insurgents will not take part.
Direct talks between Afghanistan and Taliban were set to take place at some point in March. Several countries including the U.S., China, Pakistan and Afghanistan had met to organize the talks.
Last month’s Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meeting in Kabul had invited Taliban groups to join direct talks with the Afghan government by the first week of March.
Afghan officials voiced optimism on Sunday that peace talks with the Taliban would resume “within weeks” even after the insurgents rebuffed calls for dialogue, with analysts dismissing their seemingly tough stance as a bargaining ploy.
“We reject all such rumors and unequivocally state that the leader of Islamic Emirate has not authorized anyone to participate in this meeting”, the statement read.
“This is just public bargaining on the part of the Taliban”, said an official close to Mr. Ghani of Afghanistan, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the subject is a delicate one. “They did it last time, too”.
Pakistani newspapers published story of refusal of talks a day before the official announcement of Taliban to reject talks.
However, Ghani said that it is not a civil war in Afghanistan, Afghans are all brothers, and it is “indeed imposed war”. Deputy leader Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour has succeeded him. The Taliban said that in the light of those developments peace talks would be meaningless.
The Taliban have meanwhile accused the United States of boosting troop numbers and carrying out airstrikes and night raids on residential compounds.
“The aim of the operation in Nangarhar was to root out IS from the area”, said Afghan Army Lt. Col Sharin Aqa, a spokesman for the 201 Corps.
Obama also “underscored USA support for a peace process that reduces violence and ensures lasting stability in Afghanistan and the region”, the White House said in a statement.
This has prompted renewed efforts in the country and by neighbors to revive stalled negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government.
Many suspect that Taliban could reappear on the negotiating table as factional infighting and leadership division has deepened in the group since the death of Omar.
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Bygone the days when Afghan Taliban were in the pockets of Foreign Office of Pakistan.
