The Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Sunday said that he “strenuously favours” a political settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan.
The announcement comes after the representatives of the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents sat down for a new round of talks in Doha over the weekend, stirring hopes that the long-stalled peace talks were being resuscitated.
In a message released ahead of next week’s Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adham, Akhundzada said, “In spite of the military gains and advances, the Islamic Emirate strenuously favours a political settlement in the country”.
He added, “Every opportunity for the establishment of an Islamic system, peace and security that presents itself will be made use of by the Islamic Emirate,” he added.
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The two sides were due to talk again on Sunday.
The Taliban leader said his group remained committed to forging a solution to end the war but slammed “the opposition parties” for “wasting time”.
“Our message remains that instead of relying on foreigners, let us resolve our issues among ourselves and rescue our homeland from the prevailing crisis,” he added.
Taliban has capitalised on the last stages of the withdrawal of US and other foreign troops from Afghanistan to launch a series of lightning offensives. The group is now believed to control roughly half of the nation’s 400 districts. Also, it is controlling several important border crossings, and have laid siege to a string of vital provincial capitals.