The Taliban’s chief has zeroed in on a negotiating team that is to have sweeping decision-making powers in upcoming intra-Afghan negotiations.
Maulvi Hibatullah Akhunzada picked the 20-member team, 13 of whom come from the Taliban’s leadership council. The negotiating team will have the authority to set agendas, decide strategy and even sign agreements with the political leadership of the Afghan government in Kabul.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will keep the powerful post as head of the Taliban’s political office in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar. He had signed the peace deal with Washington on February 29 paving the way for America’s troop withdrawal and the eventual intra-Afghan negotiations.
The critical intra-Afghan talks, which were laid out in the peace deal signed in February, were expected to begin August 20 but have been plagued by relentless delays.
The agenda of the talks will include a permanent cease-fire, the rights of minorities and women, constitutional changes and the fate of tens of thousands of armed Taliban and militias loyal to Kabul-allied warlords.
According to the deal Washington signed with the Taliban, the Afghan government was to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners, and the Taliban were to free 1,000 government and military men.
Since signing the agreement, the Taliban have held to a promise not to attack US and NATO troops, but have carried out regular attacks on Afghan security forces.
On Sunday, Baradar, head of the Taliban political office, was travelling to Pakistan from Doha, just days after Islamabad issued fresh orders implementing the 2015 UN sanctions against the Taliban as well as a number of other outlawed groups. (Agencies)
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