Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid
Kabul … News Time
The Taliban refused to negotiate with the Afghan government team, which would potentially threaten America’s next steps under the peace deal. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group would not hold talks with the government’s team because it did not represent all Afghan factions, according to a foreign news agency ‘Reuters’. The Afghan government on Thursday announced the team, praised by US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. The US signed a peace deal with the Taliban on February 29 Afghan politicians, however, continue to hold dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban and release prisoners and controversies between the Taliban and the Afghan government over possible pre-conditional issues are being delayed prior to the talks.
Zabihullah Mujahid said the fact that the team announced by the Afghan government was a ‘breach of its agreement with the United States’ because not all parties agreed on the team. He said that for effective and lasting peace, the team must have the consent of all effective Afghan sides so that it can represent all sides. The Afghan Ministry of Peace Affairs spokesman Najia Anwari said the team was formed after long consultations with various representatives of Afghan society.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s political rival Abdullah Abdullah has not yet confirmed whether he will support the team. Diplomats say Abdullah’s decision in this regard will be very important because they are very influential in the north and west parts of the country. Abdullah Abdullah’s spokesman and the US Embassy were not available for comment on the Taliban’s latest statement. Both Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah have been claiming to be the real leader of the country since the presidential election in September last year. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Kabul on Monday was unsuccessful in trying to mediate between the two leaders for a bilateral government. After that he announced a $ 1 billion reduction in aid to Afghanistan.
