Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar was due in Pakistan on Wednesday to hold talks with officials, the militant group’s spokesman said, as unconfirmed reports suggested U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was already in Islamabad.
If so, it would be regarded as the first opportunity for the two to meet since U.S. President Donald Trump last month abruptly scampered talks with the Taliban that taking Washington out from its longest war.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that the Pakistan visit will be the fourth leg of a tour that included Russia, China and Iran.
Notably, Baradar is head of the Taliban’s political wing who lives in Qatar, where for nearly a year the insurgents held face-to-face meetings with a U.S. delegation led by Khalilzad. The two sides were on the brink of a deal that would have seen Washington begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in return for various security promises from the Taliban.
However, on Sept. 7, Trump called off a top-secret summit due to be held between the U.S. and the Taliban at Camp David and declared the talks “dead” two days later. The Taliban threatened more violence, but both the insurgents and the U.S. left the door open for negotiations to resume, with most experts agreeing Washington will have to return to the table eventually.
A senior Taliban source in Pakistan revealed that the group was aware of Khalilzad’s visit and was ready to meet him. “We have not backtracked from talks,” the source added. “It was America who backtracked.”
Another senior Taliban militant said it would be “up to Mullah Baradar, who is leading the delegation, to decide whom they would like to talk to.”
