A Taliban delegation are preparing for further talks with U.S about ending the conflict in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported on Tuesday. They added that talks could possibly veer towards swapping prisoners.
The two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told TOLOnews that Taliban leaders were meeting to discuss the makeup of the three- or four-person delegation and the subjects to be discussed.
They said another meeting could be held if the U.S expressed their desire in continuing talks by the act of releasing prisoners.
“This meeting will determine the future talks and we would see if the US is serious and sincere in negotiation,” one of the officials involved said. “We would hand over a list of prisoners languishing in jails across Afghanistan. If they set free our prisoners then we would meet again for another great cause.”
The Taliban delegation at the planned upcoming meeting would be led by the head of the group’s Qatar-based political office, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai, the officials said.
“You may know Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai was deputed in the Qatar office on acting charge basis. The top leadership is now planning to appoint someone else in his place,” one of the officials said.
In the past year, U.S air strikes against the Taliban have increased and training of Afghan forces have enhanced. However US officials say the goal is to reach a negotiated, Afghan-led settlement to end the war.
The Taliban has said that it will only talk to the United States, and not the Afghanistan government, which it considers an illegitimate regime. Following the Eid ceasefire in June, the U.S has agreed to participate directly and has appointed former US ambassador to Kabul Zalmay Khalilzad as special envoy.
