Taliban leader says they are serious supporters of a political solution

Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, said in a message issued on the occasion of Eid al-Adha on Sunday that the Taliban group “with all its victories and military advances, is a serious supporter of a political solution to the country’s problem.”

He said that the Taliban would use any opportunity that “would lead to the uprising of the Islamic system and the coming of peace and security in the country.”

The Taliban leader spoke of peace at a time when the Afghan government delegation led by Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Afghan High Council of National Reconciliation, and the Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhand, head of the Qatar political office in Doha, are holding talks.

The Taliban leader said the group had opened a political office “for good progress in the negotiations and the political process”, tasked the negotiating team and was “committed” to resolving issues through dialogue.

He claimed that the Afghan government, “is still wasting opportunities. Our message is that instead of relying on foreigners, let us solve our own problems and save the country from its current state.”

The Afghan government has blamed the Taliban of stalling peace talks.

Referring to the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, Mullah Haibatullah said: “Many districts and large areas of the country have become completely secure and the Taliban have become stronger, more organized and better equipped than before.”

This comes after the Taliban have taken control of dozens of districts in Afghanistan in recent months, and with the fall of these districts, equipment and weapons have fallen into the hands of the Taliban.

Recently Rohullah Akhundzada, the governor of Kandahar, said the districts of Kandahar province had not fallen militarily but politically.

He added that the only reason for the fall of the districts was because of the fight against corruption in the province, started by him.

He warned that he will provide proof of corruption to the people.