Zabiullah Mujahed, a spokesman for the Taliban, said the group’s leader Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada at a decree has appointed a negotiating team led by a hard-line cleric, Sheikh Abdul Hakim.
” … Sheikh Mawlawi Abdul Hakim appointed as head of negotiation team & Mr. Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanekzai as deputy. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Wardak appointed as spokesperson of Political Office,” Mujahed tweeted.
The new key Taliban peace negotiator Hakim has served as the shadow chief justice for the militants, replacing Sher Mohammed Abbas Stanekzai who headed the Taliban negotiations with the United States, leading to signing a peace deal with the U.S. in late February.
The Afghan government has already named its team of negotiators for the proposed direct talks with the Taliban insurgents in Doha, Qatar’s capital.
Earlier last week, peace council officials announced they had made all logistical preparations ahead of peace talks, and the government negotiators would leave for Doha very soon to begin the much-delayed talks with the Taliban.
The government negotiators, according to sources, were set to fly to Qatar on Thursday, but the travel was postponed as the Taliban’s negotiating team wasn’t reportedly ready.
When they travel to the Qatari capital of Doha and start the talks, however, remains unclear.
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