Taliban’s Qatar office faces possible closure over reports on financing

The Afghan government has begun investigations on the Taliban office based in Qatar following reports that it is being used to seek financial resources and propagate the group.

Jawed Faisal, the spokesman for the Chief Executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, told TOLOnews newspaper that the government is assessing these allegations and will act accordingly once they are completed.

“Reports indicate that this office is used for propaganda and for seeking financial resources for the Taliban,” Faisal told TOLOnews.

In an interview with the newspaper, Habib Sarabi, the deputy head of the High Peace Council, indicated to the possibility of peace talks being held in a Gulf country in the near future.

“Considering the national interests, the High Peace Council welcomes any move on peace,” Sarabi said.

Last week, the High Peace Council Chairman Mohammad Karim Khalili said the council is ready to start peace talks with the Taliban without any pre-conditions.

He said the Taliban can open their office, for the peace talks, in any part of the world “and even in Kabul”.

The Taliban office was opened in Qatar in 2013 to facilitate talks between the Afghan government and the group.

source: Alarabiya