Afghan Taliban say a deal with the US on withdrawal of foreign forces ‘can be possible’ in the ongoing talks in Qatar. “We are holding detailed discussions on two core issues: complete withdrawal of foreign forces and to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorism. We will make efforts to finalize a deal,” Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in an audio statement sent to Daily Times from Doha. When asked again if he is confident of a deal, he said “there are hopes.” “Agreement on troop withdrawal will open way for discussions and solution to other issues,” he said.
Earlier Taliban chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar told US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad that there will be no deal on any other issue unless both sides reach agreement on complete withdrawal of foreign forces and preventing Afghan soil from being used against others.
Khalilzad met Baradar in Qatar on Wednesday ahead of a new round of talks and views were exchanged about key aspects for a peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue. “It is absolutely vital that the two key agenda points of the previous meeting (full withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and preventing Afghanistan from harming others) be finalized,” a Taliban statement quoted Baradar as telling the US envoy. “This will open the way for resolving other aspects of the issue and we cannot enter into other topics before this,” the Taliban leader further said.
Meanwhile, Senior Taliban leader Mullah Fazl has been appointed as deputy of the Qatar’s negotiating team, in an apparent attempt to boost trust of the military commanders in the negotiation process. Fazl, a former Guantanamo inmate, had served as Afghan army chief during the Taliban rule. He was freed from the US detention centre along with four other leaders in June 2014 in exchange of a US soldier. All five former Taliban Guantanamo prisoners are now part of the Qatar political negotiation team. “Trust of the military commanders in the political process is a must and the decision may have been taken to convey a message to the military commanders,” a Taliban official said. “This could also be an attempt to make former military leaders part of the political process and that they are determined to the peace process,” another Taliban official said.