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Kabul hopeful for Taliban ceasefire deal

July 9, 2015

A possible ceasefire is on the agenda for the next round of talks with the Taliban, according to an Afghan negotiator. Optimism is high after the successful start of peace talks in Islamabad earlier this week.

https://p.dw.com/p/1FvdW
Taliban fighters hold their heavy and light weapons before surrendering them to Afghan authorities in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/R. Gul

Haji Din Mohammad, a member of the Afghan Peace Council, said Thursday he was optimistic that the 13-year-long insurgency in Afghanistan would be brought to an end.

The Afghan peace negotiator said the next round of talks with the Islamic insurgents would focus on ways to end violence in the war-torn country.

"In that meeting, a detailed discussion will be focused on preventing bloodshed in Afghanistan," Mohammad told reporters in Kabul.

Several meetings between the representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban have taken place in the past few years, but the dialogue in the Pakistani city of Murree on Tuesday was declared a step forward by both sides, who agreed to meet again after the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"It is not easy to begin negotiations at any point, but both sides have their own demands, but since it was the first official meeting, we consider it a positive step forward," Mohammad added.

The Taliban has demanded the number of foreign troops in Afghanistan be brought down, the sanctions from the United States on its leaders be lifted, and its imprisoned comrades be freed.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai said Thursday "no decision was made to halt large-scale military operations against the Taliban" in the short term.

shs/kms (dpa, AFP)