Al-Jazeera correspondent in Afghanistan told a Taliban source that the Doha negotiations between the movement and the United States will continue on Saturday, as both sides discuss the cease-fire and set a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
The deal is imminent and the two sides are finalizing a deal in which the Taliban abandon "global terrorist groups" and pledge not to use Afghanistan as a launching pad for attacks on the United States. In return, the Americans announce a timetable for withdrawing their forces, the New York Times quoted Taliban officials and Western diplomats as saying.
The appointment of Mullah Abdul Ghani Pradar, chief negotiator of the Taliban, is a strong sign that Afghan peace talks are serious this time, the newspaper said, adding that his appointment could help bring practical results to the Doha talks.
The Taliban announced in a statement yesterday the appointment of Bradar as deputy leader of the movement for political affairs, and supervisor of the political bureau of the movement in Doha and a senior negotiator.
Al-Jazeera quoted the Taliban source as saying that if a timetable for withdrawing from Afghanistan is set, the Taliban will declare a ceasefire.
The source added that the US envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, demanded the Taliban to sit down with the Afghan government to negotiate after setting the table and cease fire in the country.
Negotiations began last Monday in Doha according to the agenda agreed at the last meeting between the Taliban and the Americans last month, and was scheduled to last only two days.