According to reports, a number of the Afghan government officials have met with the Taliban group in United Arab Emirates, in a bid to start peace talks between the militants group and Afghan government.
A Taliban official quoted by Associated Press said, the two sides met secretly in UAE, however no progress were made regarding a peace deal.
The official further added, the meeting took place between two Afghan ministers and Taliban delegates, as Pakistan has been releasing dozens of Taliban prisoners in an effort to revive peace talks.
He also added that Taliban group in Afghanistan would accept indirect mediation between the two parties, just as was done in 1989 that led to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.
In the meantime, Pakistan’s top national security advisor Sartaj Aziz has said that the Taliban group in Afghanistan is not interested to hold talks with president Karzai’s government.
Sartaj Aziz insisted that neither the prisoners release from Pakistani jails, nor Karzai’s refusal to sign security deal with US, have moved the Taliban group close to peace talks with the Afghan government.
Meanwhile, the Taliban official said both the Taliban and other armed groups are gearing up for another confrontation once international troops exit.
He said the field commanders of the Taliban group are opposing peace talks as they are confident to reclaim the country, despite the leadership of the Taliban group is interested in peace talks.
This comes as the U.S. intelligence in its latest estimate – National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) predicted Afghanistan will descend into civil violence as soon as foreign troops exit.
