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| Afghanistan | |
| Afghans May Talk With Ex-Taliban Official | |
| 2003-10-24 | |
| EFL AP from Newsday The Afghan government might hold talks with a former top Taliban official, but only if it determines he has no complicity in terrorism or crimes against the Afghan people, the president’s spokesman said Thursday. Former Foreign Minister Abdul Wakil Mutawakil recently offered to assist President Hamid Karzai’s government in quelling tension inside the country in exchange for his freedom from U.S. custody. Looks like he is not necessarily headed for Miami as speculated. Karzai recently said he welcomed members of the Taliban rank-and-file not responsible for the hard-line movement’s actions, presidential spokesman Jawid Luddin said. Some responses came from Afghans in Pakistan who say they are resisting pressure to return home to fight foreign troops and Karzai’s central government. So much for the Pakistani Welcome Wagon. Luddin said the highest-level contact so far has come from Mutawakil. "Now that we have received these contacts, the question is whether we will respond to it. We haven’t decided yet," Luddin said. Taliban insurgents mounted increasing attacks over the summer against international troops, aid workers and government forces. On Thursday in southern Afghanistan, some 1,000 Afghan forces and more than 300 coalition troops were hunting down former Taliban leaders. Recent reports suggested Mutawakil returned to his hometown Kandahar. However, Luddin said Thursday that Mutawakil, considered a moderate in the Taliban regime, is still held at Bagram, the U.S. military headquarters north of Kabul.
Also the BBC has an article:Afghan disarming is beginning. | |
| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #1 The Afghan government might hold talks with a former top Taliban official, but only if it determines he has no complicity in terrorism or crimes against the Afghan people, the president’s spokesman said Thursday. Might be a tough smell test there, Abdul. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-10-24 3:07:23 PM |