Release of more than 7,000 remaining prisoners of the Taliban from the government custody and removing leaders of the group from the U.N. blacklists are said to be the preconditions laid out by Taliban.
Abdullah Abdullah, Chairperson of the High Council for National Reconciliation, however, said addressing a press conference on Wednesday that the release of Taliban inmates and the removal of their leaders from the U.N. blacklists are the issues to be discussed at the negotiating table.
A ceasefire is an important step which helps facilitate the peace process, Dr. Abdullah said, adding it can build trust among the two sides of the negotiating table and make people believe in the peace process.
Fraidoon Khwazoon, a spokesman for the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) has meanwhile accused the Taliban of wasting time and causing delays in the already-delayed negotiations, saying the group has been avoiding to attend the meetings aimed at unifying the agenda of peace talks and starting the substantive discussions. They let the historic opportunity be undermined.
The Taliban in its Qatar-based political office could not be reached for comment.
The Afghan Lower House of National Assembly (Wolesi Jirga) has nevertheless said the Taliban have caused the peace talks to reach another deadlock.
House speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani said with if there is no consensus among Republic’s team over preparing a peace roadmap, and if the factions influencing the peace process continue to prefer their personal interests over the national interests, there will be no peace.
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) in the meantime has noted in its annual civilian casualties report that at least 2,958 civilians have been killed and another 5,542 were injured in 2020 across Afghanistan.
The U.S. Department of Treasury also said in its report released on January 4 that al-Qaeda maintains close contacts with the Taliban.
The report has read that “al-Qaeda capitalizes on its relationship with the Taliban through its network of mentors and advisers who are embedded with the Taliban, providing advice, guidance, and financial support.”
“Senior Haqqani network figures have discussed forming a new joint unit of armed fighters in cooperation with and funded by al-Qaeda,” it added.
But the Taliban have issued denial to the report, saying there was no al-Qaeda remaining in Afghanistan.
Earlier the United States new administration announced it plans to review a peace deal the Trump administration signed with Taliban on February last year.
According to the peace pact, the Taliban made commitments to cut ties with al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
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