Taleban reject peace talks offer by Kabul

kabul — The Taleban have rejected Kabul’s offer of talks next month in Saudi Arabia where the militants, fighting to restore strict Islamic law in Afghanistan, will meet US officials to further peace efforts, a Taleban leader said on Sunday.

Representatives from the Taleban, the United States and regional countries met this month in the United Arab Emirates for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan.

But the Taleban have refused to hold formal talks with the Westernbacked Afghan government.

“We will meet the US officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi,” a member of the Taleban’s decisionmaking Leadership Council said. “However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government.”

Taleban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the leaders of the group would not talk to the Afghan government.

The militants have insisted on first reaching an agreement with the United States, which the group sees as the main force in Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taleban government in 2001.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the

conflict have intensified after Taleban representatives started meeting US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad this year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times to discuss the withdrawal of international forces and a ceasefire in 2019. —