By Muhammad Ameen
ISLAMABAD: Eighteen-years conflict is in sight as US-Taliban decisive round of talks is expected later this year, sources told Islamabad Telegraph Monday.
“Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad’s meetings in Islamabad and Qatar have been fruitful , as expected. Taliban and the US , both, have signaled green to make the talks decisive . The government of Afghanistan has already announced to support final round of talks. In this scenario, we are hopeful for result oriented talks bwtween the major parties,” sources said.
The United States signed a troop withdrawal deal with the Taliban in February, but its attempts to usher the insurgent group towards peace talks with the Afghan government have been mired in setbacks and violence surged in March and April. The Taliban’s spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter that US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad had discussed “the commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations” at the insurgent group’s political capital, Doha, on Sunday.
Khalilzad had earlier met Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, according to the US Embassy in Islamabad.
“The two took note of recent progress created by the Eid ceasefire and accelerated prisoner releases as well as reduced violence ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations,” the Embassy said on Monday. “(They) discussed steps required for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations.”
Disagreement over the Taliban’s demand for the release of 5,000 prisoners has also blocked progress towards resolving the conflict, in which Pakistan is considered a key regional player.
According to sources issues were gradually being resolved and momentum had grown in recent weeks for formal talks, which were expected to begin this month, likely in Doha. However the sources also told Reuters that due to complications from the coronavirus some negotiations might initially be held virtually.