The United States and the Taliban have concluded the eighth round of talks aimed at reaching an agreement between the two adversaries to end the 18-year-old war in Afghanistan and jumpstart intra-Afghan peace negotiations.The nine-day negotiations in the Gulf state of Qatar were wrapped up before dawn on Monday, announced a Taliban spokesman. The talks continued on a day when Muslims around the world began celebrating their three-day annual festival of sacrifice, known as Eid-al-Adha.“Work was tedious and effective. Both sides agreed to consult their respective leaderships for next steps,” Zabihullah Mujahid said in a brief statement.FILE – Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad at the U.S. Institute of Peace, in Washington, Feb. 8, 2019.He did not explain further nor did the chief American negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, about the outcome of the negotiations with the insurgent group. “We have concluded this round of talks that started August 3….Over the last few days, the two sides focused on technical details. They were productive. I am on my way back to DC to consult on next steps,” Khalilzad tweeted Monday.Taliban political spokesman, Suhail Shaheen had said before the start of the talks that a deal was expected to follow the eighth round of their year-long dialogue with Americans.
We’ve concluded this round of talks that started Aug 3 between the US and the Taliban. Over the last few days, the two sides focused on technical details. They were productive. I am on my way back to DC to consult on next steps.— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) FILE – Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani attends the first day of campaigning in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 28, 2019.Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday again took a swipe at the ongoing U.S.-led peace effort. “Our future cannot be decided outside, whether in the capital cities of our friends, nemeses or neighbors. The fate of Afghanistan will be decided here in this homeland. … We don’t want anyone to intervene in our affairs,” Ghani told an Eid-related gathering at the presidential place in Kabul.Khalilzad in his tweets on Sunday apparently attempted to respond to Ghani’s criticism and the Taliban’s consistent stance of refusing to talk to the Afghan government.“Many scholars believe that the deeper meaning of Eid al-Aadha is to sacrifice one’s ego. Leaders on all sides of the war in Afghanistan must take this to heart as we strive for peace. My very best wishes,” tweeted the Afghan-born American diplomat.Many scholars believe that the deeper meaning of Eid al-Hadha is to sacrifice one’s ego. Leaders on all sides of the war in Afghanistan must take this to heart as we strive for peace. My very best wishes.— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) August 11, 2019Ghani, who is seeking re-election, maintains the U.S.-Taliban peace talks should not come in the way of the September election, insisting an elected government is better placed to negotiate peace with the insurgents to end decades of hostilities in Afghanistan.It is widely perceived that a deal with the Taliban may lead to the postponement of the presidential election to allow the process to be held under a transitional setup, inclusive of insurgents. Ghani and his advisors, however have rejected those assertions nor do Taliban envoys support it, causing confusion about the purpose of intra-Afghan talks as and when they start.
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