Peace talks create divide among Taliban fighters

Cracks in the ranks leave them vulnerable to ISIL

The real Taliban, who have influence on the talks, are based in Qatar Ershad Gazi Taliban commander

KABUL // Talks last week between Afghan and Taliban negotiators were hailed by officials as a major breakthrough but insurgent commanders on the ground were far more sceptical. Members of the Afghan high peace council met Taliban cadres last week in Murree, northern Islamabad, for their first official talks to try to end the militants’ bloody fight.

They agreed to meet again in the coming weeks but while some commanders voiced optimism, many were deeply wary.

The split in responses, with some commanders questioning the legitimacy of the Taliban negotiators in Murree, underscores the potentially dangerous faultlines in the movement.

Haji Hazrat, a Taliban leader in Helmand, “strongly backed” the talks but in the eastern province of Kunar, commander Ershad Gazi dismissed the Murree delegation as puppets of Islamabad.

“These leaders were not truly representing the Taliban – they were brought to the meeting by Pakistan. The real Taliban, who have influence on the talks, are based in Qatar,” said Mr Gazi.

The Taliban set up an office in Qatar in 2013 to start talks to end their 14-year insurgency. The Taliban high command has neither welcomed nor con- demned the talks and there has been no word from Mullah Omar – the Taliban chief who has not been seen in public since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan. It has been rumoured that he is dead but nobody has been able to confirm this. Meanwhile, some Taliban fighters say there can be no meaningful talks until all foreign forces leave Afghan soil.

“We come to the negotiations table only when the entire foreign troops leave Afghanistan,” said Minhaj, a commander of about 200 men in the province of Kandahar.