Khalilzad in Kabul to remove obstacles ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations

U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad visited Kabul on July 29 and discussed the ongoing efforts to resolve the remaining issues ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations with the Afghan leaders.

In a statement released on Thursday, the US Embassy in Kabul said that Khalilzad met with President Ashraf Ghani, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah, former President Hamid Karzai and other officials.

“He discussed ongoing efforts to resolve the remaining issues ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations, including the need to keep violence down by all sides after the historic Eid al-Adha ceasefire and the final prisoner releases,” the statement said. 

Khalilzad underscored the need to stop the bloodshed and seize this historic opportunity for peace. 

“Ambassador Khalilzad also provided updates on regional and international efforts in support of intra-Afghan negotiations,” the statement concluded.

It comes as Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Doha, said on Thursday the group has released 82 prisoners of the Afghan government from its captivity.

Shaheen noted that it has completed the process of releasing Afghan government prisoners, reaching a total released of 1000 inmates.

On Wednesday, Shaheen called on the Afghan government to reciprocate by releasing the remainder of the 5,000 Taliban prisoners, as per the US-Taliban agreement signed earlier this year in Doha.

The group has also declared a three-day ceasefire over Eid al-Adha and ordered its not to carry out any attacks against the Afghan forces.

In a statement on Twitter, the group said fighters have been ordered not to conduct any attacks on Afghan security forces unless in retaliation for attacks against them. 

“The ceasefire will be conducted for Afghan people to enjoy a prosperous and peaceful Eid,” the statement read. 

Meanwhile, Bahador Aminian, Iranian Ambassador to Kabul said that his country has also spoken with the Afghan government and the Taliban so that the two sides remove their disputes to pave the way for the intra-Afghan negotiations.

“The Afghan government officials should be united in order to achieve peace and we have pushed for putting aside their differences over the republic political system, and Iran has called on both sides to end the violence,” Bahador told Ariana News.