The Afghan government negotiators in Qatar have offered the Taliban a power-sharing deal in return for ending violence in the country, a government source told AFP.
“Yes, the government has submitted a proposal to Qatar as mediator. The proposal allows the Taliban to share power in return for a halt in violence in the country,” a government negotiator was quoted by AFP as saying.
This comes after the Taliban fighters intensified their offense against the Afghan security forces, in order to extend their realm in the region. So far, the organisation has taken control over 10 provincial capital so far. On Thursday, the Taliban seized the strategic Afghan city of Ghazni Thursday, just 150 kilometres from Kabul, their most important gain in the recent offense. Meanwhile, the US has also expressed concern that Kabul may fall to militants within three months.
Considering the seriousness of recent threats, India has advised its nationals in Afghanistan to make immediate arrangements to leave the country. The Indian government has also flown a special flight from Mazar-e-Sharif to New Delhi carrying India-based officials and security personnel from the Indian consulate along with a small number of Indian nationals living in and around Ghazni .
“We’re closely monitoring developments, we’re concerned about deteriorating security situation. Our Mission in Kabul issued advisory for Indian nationals earlier this week, advising them to return to India via commercial flights,” Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs, said on Thursday.
In other news, Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said that the terror group would not talk to the Afghanistan government until Ashraf Ghani remains the country’s president.
“The condition is that as long as Ashraf Ghani is there, we (Taliban) are not going to talk to the Afghan government,” Khan added.