Peace Envoy: Afghan Groups and Peace

peace envoy: The Taliban are saying they do not believe they can succeed militarily, that they would like to see the problems that remain, resolved by peaceful means, by political negotiations, according to Vancouver Courier. Peace efforts have accelerated since Khalilzad's appointment as Washington's peace envoy to Afghanistan aimed at eventually winding down America's longest war. Without referring explicitly to the talks in Qatar, Khalilzad told a news conference Sunday in the Afghan capital Kabul I am talking to all interested parties, all Afghan groups... and I think there is an opportunity for reconciliation and peace. article continues below Trending Stories Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Why this 25-year-old decided to be an egg farmer in B.C. Amanda Tapping on coping with miscarriage Burnaby woman killed in suspicious crash was student support worker at Templeton secondary The Afghan government wants peace, he said. Seventeen years after the U.S.-led invasion that ended Taliban rule, the militants control nearly half of Afghanistan and carry out near-daily attacks on local security forces and government officials. The Taliban have long refused U.S. demands to negotiate with the Western-backed government in Kabul, which the insurgents view as a puppet regime. The U.S. administration now appears focused on reaching a political settlement with the Taliban, and has given in to a number of the group's longstanding demands, beginning with the holding of direct talks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.