The US-led military in Afghanistan yesterday said it had been contacted by Taleban members willing to lay down their weapons following an arms-for-amnesty offer by the US envoy to Afghanistan. US military commanders operating in south and southeastern Afghanistan have been contacted by Taleban declaring their desire to "join the peaceful political process," the US-led military spokesman, Maj. Mark McCann, told a news briefing in Kabul. "We don't have any specific names — although, we have reports of individuals, the Taleban making contacts with some of our commanders in the field," the major said. He also said there had been "contacts with senior (provincial) government officials and military representatives here in Kabul."
His comments follow US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad's call last Thursday for Taleban insurgents to lay down their arms in return for an amnesty. The ambassador called on remnants of the Taleban regime to get in contact with tribal elders and the US-led coalition to declare their allegiance to the Afghan government. "I don't know exactly how far the process has gone forward,... however, we have seen what we call rank-and-file... people who wish to reconcile and become part of the peaceful political process," McCann said. A spokesman claiming to be from the Taleban rejected the offer last weekend. |