Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation and a prominent politician announced that peace talks will soon begin with the Taliban to bring an end to the two decades war.
Abdullah, the country’s top peace negotiator, announced that the talks will be held in early September this year.
The Taliban’s lead negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai also issued a statement where he said that they have not planned any peace talks as such in September.
Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, supported Abdullah’s statement about the peace talks where he also said that major hurdles may come in the way like the release of
prisoners from both sides but that too could be dealt for resolution.
Atmar in a discussion on an online broadcast show said, “It seems that most of the hurdles have been either removed or we are in the process of building consensus on a solution. I am cautiously optimistic that this will not be a further hurdle on the way.
Taliban denies taking part in peace talks until their 5000 prisoners are not released where the Afghan government held back after releasing 320 prisoners, a handful of whom foreign powers including France
and Australia, object to releasing.
However, Atmar added to his statement that the government has been working to get consent from certain international players in regard to the release of these prisoners.
The Afghan government is also demanding the release of Afghan security force members which the Taliban are still holding prisoners.