Taliban say will not negotiate with team announced by Afghan government

[Valin]

Dawn

Mar. 28 2020

The Taliban refused to negotiate with the team announced by the Afghan government, the militant group’s spokesman said on Saturday, in a potential setback to the next steps of the US brokered peace process.

Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group would not negotiate with the team as it was not selected in a way that included “all Afghan factions”.

The Afghan government announced a team late on Thursday, which was later praised as “inclusive” by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

The United States signed a troop withdrawal deal with the Taliban in February, but progress on moving to negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government has been delayed by a feud between Afghan politicians and disagreement between the Taliban and the government over the release of prisoners and a possible ceasefire as preconditions for talks.

(Snip)