Coalition forces reportedly in peace talks with Taliban

Reports in the US suggest the Afghan government has begun high-level peace talks with the Taliban.

The Washington Post newspaper says Taliban negotiators are serious about finding a way out, and that Pakistan-based militants are also involved in talks.

The Taliban has previously rejected talks until all foreign troops leave Afghanistan.

Whether the talks are happening or not, attacks on coalition forces and infrastructure go on.

However, the Taliban are now too self-confident to seek for peace, says Dr. Habib Hakim, a political analyst from Kabul.

“The government of the US and the military officers in Afghanistan say ‘we are going to talk, to negotiate with the low-level Taliban fighters to attract them to participate in peace process and political process in Afghanistan’. But the government of the US has rejected talks with the Taliban leadership – and they are controlling everything. If the government of the US or the government of the Afghanistan do not want to talk to the Taliban leadership who are in Pakistan or inside Afghanistan, how it is possible to achieve peace without talking with this level of Taliban, but talking with the low-level Taliban fighters? I do not think it is effective to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan,” he said.

“On the other hand, the Taliban are thinking that they are wining the war against the US and the NATO forces. And recently we have seen the significant change in Taliban policy, they think that they will defeat the foreign troops in Afghanistan and ultimately they will rule Afghanistan again,” he added.