Speaking at the “National Conference on Strengthening Information Process at Local Level,” said Vice President Sarwar Danish that the Taliban do not believe in a peaceful solution for ending the decades-long war in Afghanistan.
Majority of the group’s prisoners freed by the Afghan government as part of a deal brokered by the United States have returned to battlefield, VP Danish said.
The high level of violence by the Taliban is unacceptable, said Mr. Danish, reiterating that the group has breached the peace pact it struck with the United States on February 29.
The Taliban, on the other hand, have constantly emphasized the U.S.-Taliban deal should be considered as a basis for the intra-Afghan talks—what the Vice President call unacceptable.
“Considering the US and Taliban agreement as the basis for the ongoing talks in Doha is not acceptable for the Afghan government,” said Mr. Danesh. “We did not sign this agreement, were not a side to it, did not approve it, and have no legal responsibility regarding its provisions.”
The historic intra-Afghan talks began with an opening ceremony on September 12 in Qatar’s capital city of Doha.
Negotiators from both the government and the Taliban have been meeting in Doha since months and are still working out on procedures and related issues for the intra-Afghan talks aimed at ending Afghanistan’s longest war.
The long-awaited intra-Afghan talks aimed at ending nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan. They were first scheduled to begin on March 10, but were repeatedly delayed due to the disagreements over the controversial prisoner swap process.
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