KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): Kandahar High Peace Council chief Haji Atta Mohammad Ahmadi on Wednesday hoped the Taliban’s office in Qatar would have a positive impact on security and efforts at achieving peace in Afghanistan.
Talking to reporters at the Media and Information Center in Kandahar city, the provincial capital, Ahmadi said the Afghan Taliban were optimistic their Qatar office would increase their interaction with the peace process.
“The number of insurgents joining the peace process has increased, About 180 armed Taliban members have joined the process during the last two years and 80 others renounced fighting and chose to live peacefully with their families,” he said.
Ahmadi said High Peace Council officials had spoken with Pakistan-based Afghan Taliban and their commanders and associates were interested in joining the peace process if given an assurance that their problems would be resolved.
The peace negotiator said the launch of the fifth and final round of the security transitions to Afghan national security forces was a big success for the people of Afghanistan.
 “Afghans are now responsible for the security in their country and no excuse is left with Taliban to continue fighting with Afghan forces as ISAF is no longer leading operations in Afghanistan,” he remarked.
Ahmadi also asked the Pakistani Taliban to stop fighting and supporting Afghan Taliban and quit insurgent activities.