Taliban under pressure to join peace talks, says ex- leader

Months after the Taliban rejected calls by the Afghan Government to participate in direct peace talks, a former top Taliban leader has revealed that the group is under pressure to revive peace talks with Kabul.

Former Taliban leader Agha Jan Motasim told the New York Times that the main motives behind growing demand to revive peace talks are mounting pressures and changes in the situation of the country, reports the Khaama Press.

A close aide of former Taliban leader supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, Motasim, was the finance minister in the Taliban regime.

He also revealed that the Taliban leaders have agreed to revive peace talks during a meeting in Quetta city of Balochistan province, adding the feasibility of peace talks revival is high and some Taliban leaders have asked him to mediate for the launch of peace negotiations.

The Taliban group had earlier this year rejected to hold peace talks with the Afghan Government and instead opted to continue to its insurgency by launching their spring offensive in mid-April.

To help revive the Afghan peace talks, a Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) consisting representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States was formed.

The attempts by the QCG group failed to yield any positive result following coordinated attacks launched by the Taliban in the country.