KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – The top US peace envoy for Afghanistan has resumed his shuttle diplomacy in the region with a meeting with the Taliban's deputy leader in Doha, Qatar.
Zalmay Khalilzad has met the Taliban's deputy head Mullah Baradar Akhund in Doha in connection with the peace agreement, the insurgents' Qatar office spokesman, Suhail Shaheen said in a tweet.
The US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation has left for Doha, New Delhi and Islamabad, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.
In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will meet with Taliban representatives to press for full implementation of the U.S.-Taliban agreement.
In New Delhi, he will meet with Indian officials to discuss the important role of India in a sustainable peace in Afghanistan and the region. And in Islamabad, he will meet with Pakistani officials and also discuss the Afghan peace process.
“At each stop, he will urge support for an immediate reduction in violence, accelerated timeline for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations and cooperation among all sides in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan,” the State Department said.
Based on decree by President Mohammed Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan government has set free at least 850 Taliban prisoners.
The Taliban have so far released more than 100 government prisoners, including civilians.
Two days ago, the National Security Council announced that the Afghan government was urging the Taliban to reduce violence and start direct talks after the release of 1,500 prisoners.
According to the US-Taliban peace agreement, 5,000 Taliban prisoners should be released from government prisons and the Taliban should release 1,000 captive security forces.
Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are set to begin after the release of prisoners on both sides.
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