Ghani Offers Taliban to Open Office in Kabul, Kandahar or Nangarhar

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who visited eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday said that he is ready to give office to the Taliban in Kabul, Nangarhar or Kandahar.  

Speaking to the residents of Ghani Khil district of Nangarhar province, Ghani said that the Taliban refused to come for negotiations in Saudi Arabia, but convened in Moscow instead.

He reiterated that the government has an inclusive plan for peace, and is committed to bring enduring and dignified peace.

The President also offered to give space for the Taliban to open an office in Kabul, Kandahar or Nangarhar and assured to provide full security to them.

Ghani reaffirmed his stand on elections and said that the government is committed to carrying the torch of democracy, rebuking any prospects of an interim government under his leadership.

In other parts of his speech, Ghani also thanked Shinwaris and Momands for supporting the Afghan military forces in defeating and clearing eastern Nangarhar from ISIS-K and Taliban.

He met with tribal elders and tribes who led and were part of the local uprisings against ISIS-K and Taliban and drove them out from Achin, Nazian, Ghanikhel and Momandara and many others districts in eastern Nangarhar with support from Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

“The reason that we were able to clear our lands and drive out the enemy was cohesion. Now people, security and defense forces, and the government are on the same page and united against our enemies,” Ghani said.

This comes as the Taliban has repeatedly refused to sit in face-to-face talks with the Afghan government. But instead, insisting on having talks with the United States and the Afghan government’s oppositions.

Recently, a delegation of the armed group met with Afghan politicians in Moscow and held two-day talks. The delegates attending the talks issued a joint declaration as a move to promote intra-Afghan dialogue to end the nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan.