Taliban unlikely to call a ceasefire any time soon, but the 'doors of dialogue' with the US remain open, group's leader Haibatullah Akhundzada says in a rare message
In this undated and unknown location photo, the new leader of Taliban fighters, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada poses for a portrait.
"The doors of dialogue and negotiations have been kept open and at this very moment, the negotiation team... is engaged in negotiations with the American side," Akhundzada said in a message ahead of the upcoming festival of Eid, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Last year, the Taliban observed a three-day ceasefire over Eid and many Afghans – exhausted by decades of war and violence – had pinned their hopes on another truce this year.
Bismillah Watandost, a spokesman for the People's Peace Movement, told AFP on Saturday that about 30 people had started the walk late Thursday, heading from Lashkar Gah to Musa Qala in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Libya's Haftar rules out Tripoli ceasefire, dismisses U.N.-led talks: newspaperLibyan eastern commander Khalifa Haftar has ruled out a ceasefire in the battle ...
Read more »
Lawmakers ask why Afghan interpreter who fled Taliban has no U.S. visaLawmakers are calling on Trump admin. officials to explain why they have refused so far to grant a visa to an Afghan interpreter who they say has faced death threats and an assassination attempt from the Taliban.
Read more »
American hostage mom says abusive husband's Taliban sympathies led to 5-year ordealAmerican hostage mom says abusive husband's Taliban sympathies led to 5-year ordeal. 'I was actually more afraid of him than of the captors.'
Read more »
Germany in push to resurrect Afghan talks with TalibanGermany, a leading donor and member of the NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan, ha...
Read more »
UN says Afghan captives held by Taliban subjected to abuseThe U.N. says Taliban captives in Afghanistan have been subjected to abuse, ill-treatment and actions that may amount to torture.
Read more »
Taliban attacks kill 10 Afghan troops, four policemen - officialsThe soldiers driving back to the base after picking up their salaries in Afghanistan's western Farah province were killed in a roadside bombing claimed by the Taliban. Another four cops were killed in attacks on security checkpoints.
Read more »
'Occupation' must end for Afghan peace – Taliban in Russia conferenceTaliban is 'really committed to peace, but think the obstacle for peace should be removed first,' Taliban co-founder and political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar says in a rare televised appearance at the start of the two-day meeting in Moscow.
Read more »
Federal employees soon will have more options to withdraw money from their retirement accountsThe Thrift Savings Plan is on schedule for a September launch of new account withdrawal options that will remove restrictions many investors long have been sore about.
Read more »
This Hedge Fund Superstar Thinks Climate Change Will Impact All Your Investments—And Soon
Read more »