In a statement on Saturday, the militant group said “until the occupation of foreign troops ends, until Taliban names are removed from worldwide blacklists and until our detainees are released”, peace talks for an end to the conflict in Afghanistan will yield no results.
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Direct talks between Afghanistan and Taliban were set to take place at some point in March.
“We reject all such rumours and unequivocally state that the leader of Islamic Emirate has not authorised anyone to participate in this meeting”, the group said in a statement.
The group also accused the United States of duplicity, saying it had boosted troop numbers, increased airstrikes and night raids against the insurgents in tandem with its efforts to revive talks. The government in Kabul has also escalated operations against the group, it said. These local anti-IS uprisings played an important role for the success of the Afghan forces.
Taliban representatives met with their Afghan government counterparts, as well as with USA and Chinese officials, last summer in Pakistan, officials said.
During the video conference call, Obama was joined by Afghan government’s CEO Abdullah Abdullah and the US First Vice President Joe Biden.
Afghan forces had dislodged ISIL loyalists from regions of Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan, said Ghani on Sunday, speaking at the opening of parliament.
The Taliban have been behind scores of attacks that have threatened security and stability in Afghanistan for years, and there’s no indication they will let up anytime soon.
In a Pashto language statement given Saturday to VOA, the Taliban said their leadership had not yet made a decision to engage in talks with Kabul. He says Afghanistan will be a “graveyard” for IS. Officials have said most militants calling themselves ISIS are disaffected Taliban fighters.
“The process may be delayed but the Taliban will show up for talks – this we are sure of”, the official told AFP.
New leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has laid down preconditions for taking part in any talks as he struggles to overcome factional infighting, with some breakaway groups opposing any negotiations whatsoever.
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In addition to seizing territory in the opium-growing province of Helmand, the Taliban briefly captured the northern city of Kunduz.
