Taliban delegation leaves Pakistan, returns to Doha ‘for talks’

Taliban officials say a senior delegation returned early Saturday to Qatar after visiting Pakistan – in what is believed to be a step towards meeting the Afghan peace talks team. 

Associated Press reported Taliban members, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the delegation’s return to Doha for talks. 

The delegation’s return to Qatar came as Faraidoon Khwazoon, the spokesman for Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) slammed the Taliban on Twitter Saturday and accused the Taliban of holding off on peace talks. 

“The process of releasing the prisoners is over and there is no excuse for delaying the talks, but the Taliban are still not ready to take part in the talks, ” he said.

Last month, a Taliban delegation, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, visited Pakistan where they held talks with high-ranking officials. 

According to AP, Pakistani officials met a second time with Baradar on Friday and again pressed for a swift start to intra-Afghan negotiations. 

AP reported that while little was revealed about the details of his meetings with Pakistani officials, it is believed he was pressed to get started with intra-Afghan talks.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly called for the start of peace talks and has said a political agreement is the only solution to ending the 19-year-old war.