Taliban, Afghan opposition officials claim ‘progress’ at talks

Taliban officials and Afghan opposition figures claimed Thursday to have made “tremendous progress” at Moscow talks, but the announcement rang hollow as discussions yet again excluded the Afghan government and no ceasefire was announced. The ultra-conservative Islamist insurgents spent more than two days at a plush hotel in central Moscow, where they met several leading Afghan politicians -- including past president Hamid Karzai and former warlord Atta Muhammad Nur.

In a joint statement, the parties said they’d had “productive and constructive” discussions focusing on issues including a possible ceasefire, the “strengthening of the Islamic system” and “women’s rights”. “Both sides have had tremendous progress, but some issues require further discussions,” the statement read.

But with the Kabul administration -- viewed by the Taliban as a US-backed puppet regime -- once more sidelined from the conversation, it was difficult to see what tangible results could come from the talks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had proposed a nationwide ceasefire at the start of the holy month of Ramadan, but the Taliban rejected the offer. The Taliban have also baulked at repeated US calls to reduce violence.