Taliban say US talks on track after leader’s brother killed

Afghan Taliban officials said on Saturday the killing of the brother of their leader in a bomb attack would not derail talks with the United States aimed at securing the withdrawal of American troops after 18 years of war.

There was no claim of responsibility for the bomb that killed the younger brother of Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada near the Pakistani city of Quetta on Friday.

It came after Taliban and US officials reported progress in talks on an agreement centred on a US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in exchange for a Taliban security guarantee.

“If someone thinks martyring our leaders would stop us from our goal they’re living in a fool’s paradise,” a Taliban leader who declined to identify himself said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

“We are close to our goals,” he said, referring to the talks with the US.

The militants have been fighting to expel foreign forces and set up an Islamic state since they were ousted in October 2001, weeks after the September 11 attacks on the US.

US negotiators and the Taliban have reported progress after eight rounds of talks since late last year but the violence has not eased.

The bomb at the mosque near Quetta killed four people, and wounded 20, Pakistani police said.

The Taliban leader’s brother, Hafiz Ahmadullah, was leading prayers when the device went off. One of the leader’s sons was wounded, Taliban officials said.

Pakistani police confirmed that one of the dead was Hafiz Ahmadullah but said they could not confirm if he was a brother of the Taliban leader. Pakistan denies accusations that it supports the Taliban but many members live there.

A US pullout has raised fears Afghanistan could plunge into a new civil war that could result in a return of Taliban rule and give international militants a sanctuary.

Under the expected deal, the Taliban, in exchange for a US commitment to leave, would guarantee Afghanistan would not be a sanctuary for militants to expand and plot new attacks, both sides have said.

The Taliban are also expected to make a commitment to open power-sharing talks with the US-backed government and agree to a ceasefire.

Afghan presidential spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said any deal had to include a ceasefire, and a US withdrawal would be based on conditions.