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US Appeals to Taliban to Join Talks, Warns of Increased Violence

Taliban however rejected the offer in a statement on Saturday, terming the peace efforts as meaningless and the armed outfit’s leadership has yet to decide on peace talks with the government.

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Addressing the joint session of parliament here on Sunday, the Afghan president said bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan would benefit all sides including Taliban.

China’s Foreign Office’s spokesperson said on Monday that it hoped the Afghan government and the Taliban as well as concerned parties will work together for the resumption of Afghan peace talks at an early date.

Afghan forces have struggled to combat the Taliban since the USA and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, and the insurgents have spread their footprint across the country.

The Taliban have meanwhile accused the United States of boosting troop numbers and carrying out airstrikes and night raids on residential compounds. It added that fresh American forces have deployed to the battlefield and that Afghan forces have also intensified their operations.

He said the Taliban were facing a major test to choose whether they wanted peace or war.

He says Afghanistan will be a “graveyard” for ISIS.

The area was under the control of the Taliban militants for a period of one and half month, with local officials saying the Taliban militants suffered casualties during the operations retake the control of the area.

The Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG), holding several rounds of talks, had announced on February 23, after, that the direct talks between Afghan government and Taliban will take place in the first week of March and will be hosted by Islamabad.

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The peace process was derailed last summer, when Kabul revealed that the Taliban’s founder and leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had been dead for more than two years.

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