US involved in secret talks with senior Taliban

[Spring Onion]

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US involved in secret talks with senior Taliban

DawnNews Report
Monday, 23 Nov, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The Obama administration may be close to reversing course on its current strategy in Afghanistan, after DawnNews quoted sources as saying that high-level talks with senior Taliban militants are currently underway.


The indirect talks involve officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, and top Afghan Taliban leadership, including the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Chief and Abdullah Anus, among others.


Sources told DawnNews that Anus is the son in law of Abdullah Azzam, a noted terrorist and former mentor of Osama bin Laden, who was killed along with his sons in Peshawar in 1989.



In addition, Abu Al Hasan Madani, one of the key leaders of Rabta-e-Alam-e-Islami, has also been engaged in the process, as has Abu Jud Mehmood Samrai, an Iraqi who also holds Pakistan nationality and who played a very important role in the Afghan war.



The first round of talks have concluded, and a second, face-to-face meeting is likely after Eid.— DawnNews

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | US involved in secret talks with senior Taliban

[Evil Flare]

Yup i have just see in the news ..


but the observer says they are were not High end meeting


US trying to talk Good Taliban

[Muhammad Yahya]

Now US is on right track , it is positive sign for whole region .

But this news is not good for TTP ,India , Israel and Al Qaeda

[arsenal_gooner]

The indirect talks involve officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, and top Afghan Taliban leadership, including the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Chief and Abdullah Anus, among others.


i hope he doesnt make a Anus out of self , in the talks.

[skeptic9]

Don't be too optimistic bros, US economy is crumbling and people won't buy an escalation in war; unless there is a catalyzing event. Expect it.

[SMC]

Some high level hypocrisy here. Of course when it works in your favour, it seems all right, but if someone else does it and you don't like it, start complaining.

[SMC]

So the plan of defeating Taliban seems to be fading away. Signs don't look good for india and TTP.

[SMC]

India should start packing their bags and might as well take their TTP thugs with them back to india.

[Ahmad]

Anything which brings peace in Afghanistan will be wellcomed, even if it includes the Taliban.

[Spring Onion]

That was bound to happen. And guys look at names they are talking to


i am loving it. time for India to pack its luggage.

[ek_indian]

^^
Instead of adding something meaningful to it, people are trying their best to derail with India/Israel/AQ/TTP etc. etc.....and yes! in most of the cases there are no evidences to suggest they are linked.

[Muhammad Yahya]

Yup i have just see in the news ..


but the observer says they are were not High end meeting


US trying to talk Good Taliban

US is requesting for safe exit to Talaban , good or bad is not the issue

[EjazR]

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | US in back-channel talks with Afghan Taliban

ISLAMABAD: After fighting a bloody war in Afghanistan for more than eight years, the United States appears to have undertaken a re-think of its policy and has started engaging the Taliban in negotiations through Saudi and Pakistani intelligence agencies, highly-placed sources told Dawn here on Monday.

‘We have started ‘engagement’ with the Afghan Taliban and are hopeful that our efforts will bear fruit,’ a source involved in secret negotiations told this correspondent.

He said that four ‘major neutral players’ were engaged with the Afghan Taliban on behalf of the Saudi leadership and the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) of Saudi Arabia and the Pakistani leadership and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).

The GID and ISI have been doing the job on behalf of the US government and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The source said that one of the main objectives of the recent visit to Pakistan by CIA chief Leon Panetta was to assess progress in the back-channel negotiations.

The source said that four leaders were playing the role of mediators on behalf of the Saudis and the Afghan Taliban.

Among them is Abdullah Anas, a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden’s mentor Abdullah Azzam who was killed in Peshawar in 1989 along with his two sons. Anas lives in the UK, but maintains close links with the Afghan Taliban and even Al Qaida.

Saudi national Abul Hassan Madni, once a prominent leader of Rabta-i-Alam-i-Islami, has also been in the picture. He lives in Madina.

Abu Jud Mehmood Samrai, an Iraqi who is married to a Pakistani woman, has also been contacted. He was given Pakistani nationality by former president Ziaul Haq for his role in the Afghan war.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, a Pakistani militant leader, is also in the loop. Khalil, who co-founded the Harkatul Ansar, currently heads Hizbul Mujahideen.

He had signed the famous decree issued by Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri in 1998 calling for killing the Americans. Khalil commands respect among both Pakistani and Afghani Taliban and is said to have played a secret mediatory role with Pakistani authorities for peace in the country.

Reliable sources also told Dawn that Mullah Umar, the chief of Afghan Taliban, has nominated his shadow foreign minister, Agha Motasam, to negotiate with the Americans. They said that talks held so far were of a preliminary nature, but may resume on a serious note after Eid.

[Spring Onion]

^^
Instead of adding something meaningful to it, people are trying their best to derail with India/Israel/AQ/TTP etc. etc.....and yes! in most of the cases there are no evidences to suggest they are linked.

NO mr Indian. for understanding the entire process you need to start from 70s when Russia was there in Afghanistan and when Indians were reaping the benefits.


Then came the Russian ouster. US, Pakistan created these groups to oust Russia from Afghanistan and India was too much concerend because it was clearly seeing its interests going down.


Now look at the news and names to whom US is holding talks. all these names are the ones who were our boys (the US and Pakistan's boys)

This step by US clearly proves its Pakistan that is a player for peace in Afghanistan and NOT India.

So its indeed time for India to wind up its terror camps in Afghanistan which she is using for terrorism in Pakistan.

Now things will gradually fall into right direction.


Force is no soultion to this problem but taking along Iran and Pakistan and Mujahideen, Afghan people from all sections, is the soultion and there is NO role for India.

[ek_indian]

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NO mr Indian. for understanding the entire process you need to start from 70s when Russia was there in Afghanistan and when Indians were reaping the benefits.

Agreed. But at that time, Pakistan was with USA and also reaping their own benefits. So that was all geopolitics and nobody was saint. What's your point anyway.

Then came the Russian ouster. US, Pakistan created these groups to oust Russia from Afghanistan and India was too much concerend because it was clearly seeing its interests going down.

Perhaps this is the reason why you guys are crying like a kid regarding incresing Indian influence in Afghanistan. Because your interest is being compromised.

Now look at the news and names to whom US is holding talks. all these names are the ones who were our boys (the US and Pakistan's boys)

Yes. But you forgot a thing. This seems a typical short term solution if it succeed at all. There are fair chances that some people may again turn their guns towards Pakistan from its so-called fifth province. Till the root is not addressed, there is always a probability.

I think the best way to solve this to accmodate taliban in the mainstream politics but they will have to remove voilence. Then there could be peace in that region. USA seems to be working on this theory.

This step by US clearly proves its Pakistan that is a player for peace in Afghanistan and NOT India.

Pakistan can well be a player for peace in that region. Anyone should not have any issues with that.
And isn't same US said that India is already working for peace in Afghanistan.

So its indeed time for India to wind up its terror camps in Afghanistan which she is using for terrorism in Pakistan.

Let me know why should India leave that place. I mean what authority you hold with respect to that. This is matter between India and Afghanistan.
As far as Indian activities are concerned, no evidences. No matter how many upper case latter someone uses, it doen't make any differences.

Now things will gradually fall into right direction.

My best wishes. I am all for peace in south asian region.

Force is no soultion to this problem but taking along Iran and Pakistan and Mujahideen, Afghan people from all sections, is the soultion and there is NO role for India.

This is up to Afghanistan whether India has any role or not. Do not try to be a spokewoman for Afghanistan.