The Afghan government in a statement on Wednesday announced that it formed a 15-member peace negotiating after holding a series of discussions and consultations with all sides involved in the process inside and outside the country.
The statement said that the team is inclusive and all ethnic groups and political diversity have been considered in its formation.
This comes as the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, on Wednesday wrapped up his “most productive” visit to Afghanistan where the US and Afghan governments agreed on next steps in the peace process.
Khalilzad said in a tweet that a negotiating team and technical support group are being finalized.
Khalilzad added that he headed to Doha, “with a stop in Islamabad”.
“In Doha, if the Taliban do their part, we will do ours, and conclude the agreement we have been working on,” Khalilzad said.
Meanwhile, the UN mission in Afghanistan has also persuaded the Afghan warring factions to seal a ceasefire agreement for peace.
A former Taliban commander Sayed Akbar Agha said the next round of talks in Doha will determine the future of the peace process in Afghanistan.
“Only the signing of the peace agreement remains. There is a strong possibility that the two sides will sign the agreement in the eighth round of the talks,” said Akbar Agha.
