Taliban Expresses No Willingness to Attend Istanbul Meeting

With the Afghan government willing to dispatch a high-ranking delegation to the session, the Taliban have so far not expressed willingness to join, demanding the exit of foreign troops in line with the Doha agreement by May 2021.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said as long as foreign forces are present in Afghanistan, the group will not attend any meeting, including the Istanbul meeting.

He said some countries want to interfere in Afghanistan's internal affairs through the Istanbul Conference.

Mujahid stressed that it is the right of the Afghan people to determine the future of their country alone.

He informed that the Taliban will endorse peace only if all parties in Afghanistan accept a true Islamic establishment, otherwise it will continue to fight.

The Afghan parliament on Monday urged regional countries with clout over the Taliban to convince the group to attend the forthcoming Istanbul conference for peace in Afghanistan.

The Turkish government has scheduled the international conference from April 24 - May 4.