As the US-Taliban peace talks continue in Doha, Washington on Thursday has made several new demands over the reduction in violence plan, according to the sources.
One of the demands is that the reduction in violence should be long-term, TOLO News quoted the sources as saying.
Mujib Rahimi, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah’s spokesman, said that the US special envoy for Afghan peace, Zalmay Khalilzad, during his recent trip to Kabul said he had submitted proposals to the Taliban to extend the duration of the reduction in violence.
“Khalilzad was hopeful during his trip and thought the Taliban were ready for more serious discussions, and that the Taliban’s plans were at an unacceptable level to (the US side) in terms of reducing violence. (Khalilzad said) we have put forward more conditions and are waiting for the Taliban to respond,” said Rahimi.
Last week, Afghan prominent political figures gathered in Kabul to discuss the participation of all the country’s political factions in the ongoing peace process.
the meeting was held at the residence of Mohammad Mohaqiq, the second deputy of Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, brought together several key politicians, including former President Hamid Karzai, former Vice President Mohammad Younus Qanooni, and the head of the High Peace Council (HPC), Mohammad Karim Khalili.
Last year, in September, Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation had said that the US and Taliban are “at the threshold of an agreement” that would reduce violence and open the door for Afghans to sit together and negotiate.
On December 19, Khalilzad also said that the US and Taliban were approaching an important stage in the Afghan peace process.
In August, peace talks between Washington and the Taliban had to reach a deal on the withdrawal of thousands of American troops collapsed after President Trump cited an attack that killed a US soldier as his reason for pulling out of negotiations. The talks did not include the Afghan government.
The Taliban had never agreed to end their violent campaign against Afghan and foreign forces while negotiations were taking place. Sixteen US troops have been killed this year.
In 2001, US-led forces overthrew the Taliban government in Afghanistan because the militants had given safe haven to the Al-Qaeda network to plan the attacks on the US on September 11.
According to the statistics from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, 2018 was the deadliest year on record for the Afghan conflict, with a total of 10,993 civilian casualties, including 3,804 civilian deaths.
(With inputs from agency)