Taliban militants met with Afghan political figures for a second day in Qatar and failed to agree on ceasefire, reports Reuters.
A statement released by the Taliban at the end of the informal talks indicated a shift in position on foreign presence in Afghanistan.
The Taliban, using their formal name in a statement made on Sunday, said,
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan once again as a policy clearly states that it does not want to harm others and also won't allow anyone to use Afghan soil against others.”
The statement added that the group wanted “happiness for the nation” and “cooperation in all sectors with all countries, including neighbours, and welcomes the efforts of anyone in bringing peace to Afghanistan”
An Afghan official, after speaking to both parties in the discussions, said,
“In spite of the fierce fighting and very bad situation here, the tone from both sides is positive. "It is a good starting point. We will ask them to go ahead prudently and wisely to find a political solution rather than intensify military activity.”
The talks come as the Taliban launched its annual warm-weather offensive on April 24, taking the Afghan military by surprise.
The new Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, has made peace a priority since taking office, and has worked towards restarting a dialogue process with Taliban militants.
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