Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT News
KABUL: Pakistan seems interested in the intra-Afghan peace negotiations, with foreign minister calling for a progress in the talks going between Afghanistan and Taliban since September 12 in Qatar. The talks have had no progress yet.
Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a meeting with Afghan parliament speaker in Islamabad, called the February peace deal between Taliban and the United States a “historic opportunity”, saying that progress in the intra-Afghan talks could pave the ground for a cease fire in Afghanistan.
Pakistani media quoted Mr. Qureshi as warning some destructive groups try to impede peace and stability in Afghanistan. He however, did not specify the groups.
Meanwhile, the US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has said that intensifying of war for privileges in the peace talks was “very dangerous”.
But Taliban claim that they launch only counteroffensives to respond the government forces’ operations against their fighters.
“The operations are reactionary. In fact bombardments, offenses and attacks against us have increased. We stopped fighting for a few days in Helmand, but the other side is launching operations such as the one in Takhar and Badakhshan. We are in defensive and reactionary position,” Mohammad Naeem, Taliban’s political spokesman said Sunday.
The ministry of defense also claims that the army is in defensive position.
