Haqqanis will not talk Afghan peace alone: Commander
By Reuters
Published: October 25, 2011
PESHAWAR: The Afghan Haqqani network will not take part individually in any peace talks with the United States and negotiations must be led by the Taliban leadership, a senior commander told Reuters on Tuesday.
“They (the Americans) would not be able to find a possible solution to the Afghan conflict until and unless they hold talks with the Taliban shura,” said the Haqqani group commander, referring to the Taliban leadership council.
Earlier, NATO said Monday that about 200 Taliban-linked militants were killed or captured in major military operations by Afghan and foreign forces on Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan.
Pakistan and the Haqqani networkContinuing the tense US-Pak relationship, two days after her trip to Islamabad US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Pakistan will face “dire consequences” if it fails to contain terrorists operating from its soil.She added that the US administration does not want Pakistan to overtly launch a military offensive against the banned outfits and forces that attack US and Afghan forces, but carry out clandestine actions.
Improving security in Afghanistan
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan security is improving even more quickly than anticipated, a senior U.S. defense official said, despite concerns that a brisk troop drawdown might handicap the effort to build lasting stability.
However, the news agency Reuters reports even the most confident military officials recognize the obstacles to sustaining improvements made in places like southern Helmand, including a surge in high-profile attacks and insurgents’ability to shelter and resupply in western Pakistan.
While foreign forces have touted improved security in the Taliban’s southern heartland, the picture is much less encouraging in the Afghan east, where militants from the Haqqani network, blamed for a series of bold attacks on American targets, take advantage of rugged terrain and the porous border to the east.
Haqqanis will not talk Afghan peace alone: Commander – The Express Tribune