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Afghan Government in Secret Talks With Taliban

By Ayaz Gul October 18, 2016

Senior Afghan government and Taliban representatives reportedly have held at least two secret meetings in recent days in a bid to resume a long-awaited peace dialogue to end the war in Afghanistan.

A source within the National Unity Government in Kabul has confirmed to VOA the interactions took place in Doha, capital of the gulf state of Qatar, where Taliban political negotiators are based. But he declined to discuss further details.

The Guardian newspaper disclosed the meetings in an exclusive article published Tuesday, saying they were held in September and early October. It reported Afghan intelligence chief Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai sat face-to-face with Mullah Abdull Manan Akhund, brother of the deceased Taliban founder and long-time leader, Mullah Omar.

The British paper quoted an unnamed Taliban official as claiming a senior American diplomat was present in the Qatar meetings, although the U.S. government has not commented on the claim.

Afghan presidential spokesman, Dawa Khan Menapal, without directly commenting on the Doha meetings, told VOA the government is making "all possible efforts" to engage with groups that are ready for peace talks" in order to promote stability in the country.

A Doha-based spokesman for the Taliban's so called political office has rejected as baseless his group's contacts with the Afghan spy chief.

"I have no such information nor has there been any secret meetings at any level [with Afghan government]," a pro-Taliban Pashto language news outlet quoted Sohail Shaeen as saying.

Earlier when contacted by VOA for his reaction, the main spokesman for the Islamist insurgency, Zabihullah Mujahid, said he was busy with war-related activities in Afghanistan, but was aware of the newspaper report.

"I have sought information from our political officials [in Qatar] and will share it with you as soon as I get it. Until then, I cannot offer any comments," Mujahid said when asked about the reported secret meetings.

A preliminary round of peace talks between the warring sides took place in Pakistan, in July of 2015. U.S., Chinese and Pakistani officials were also present, but that process broke down after it was revealed that Taliban chief Mullah Omar had been dead for more than two years.

The killing of Omar's successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, in a U.S. drone strike this past May in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan, diminished hopes for resuming the Afghan peace process.

The Taliban, under its new chief Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, has since intensified insurgent activities across Afghanistan, inflicting heavy casualties on Afghan security forces and making significant territorial gains.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has recently concluded a peace deal with the Hizb-e-Islami insurgent faction led by controversial warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Under the agreement, the second largest rebel group has agreed to stop violence in return for allowing its fugitive leaders, including Hekmatyar to return to Afghanistan and take part in the national political process.

Ghani was able to secure financial pledges of around $15 billion at this month's donor conference in Brussels to sustain the Afghan reconstruction process for the next four years. But partner nations at the meeting underscored the need for a peaceful settlement to the conflict to ensure permanent stability in Afghanistan.