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News ID: 11381
Publish Date : 25 February 2015 - 20:19

Taliban Reject Reports of Talks With Kabul

KABUL (Press TV) – The Taliban militants in Afghanistan have rejected recent reports suggesting that they agreed to hold preliminary peace talks with the government in Kabul.

According to the Afghan Khaama Press online newspaper, the militant group denied the reports in a statement released on Tuesday.
"There have been many rumors swirling around in the media lately about the latest developments in Afghanistan and negotiations with the Kabul administration. These are nothing more than the views and assumptions of these outlets,” said Taliban’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid.
On Monday, the chief executive in Afghanistan’s unity government, Abdullah Abdullah, said during a cabinet meeting that he had received assurance from Pakistan, where Taliban leaders are based, that the militant group was willing to hold talks with the Afghan government.
Sources close to Taliban have also noted that the group’s leadership has approved preliminary peace talks with Kabul in a bid to find a solution to the chaos in the country.
Earlier this week, Mujahid confirmed that talks on a possible peace deal will be held between representatives of Taliban and the United States in Qatar.
Sources close to the militants say that the representative in Qatar is also expected to visit Pakistan to hold talks on a peace deal.
Earlier this month, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was optimistic regarding peace talks with the militant group.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed Taliban from power, but after more than 13 years, insecurity remains the order of the day across the country.
The US-led combat mission in Afghanistan ended on December 31, 2014. However, at least 13,500 foreign forces, mainly from the United States, have remained in the country in what the US is calling a support mission.
Many civilians have lost their lives since the US-led invasion.