The Supreme Resistance Council, in response to the Taliban’s invitation for former government officials and Afghan politicians to return to the country, said it is ready to negotiate with the Taliban to achieve peace and a comprehensive political agreement.
In a statement, the council said that if the Taliban is genuinely seeking to resolve Afghanistan’s core issues, it must be prepared to announce its readiness for an inclusive political process.
Shahabuddin Delawar, head of the Taliban’s commission for contacting political figures, had previously called on former officials to return to the country. He also named several individuals specifically and urged their return.
Delawar referred to Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf and said: “We also sent him a secret invitation. We hear he is seriously ill. Death is real. We will also die. Paghman is paradise on earth. Where are you?”
In response, the Supreme Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan said it has “taken note” of the invitation and believes that “any effort to reduce tensions and move toward sustainable stability in Afghanistan can be considered a positive step.”
The council also expressed dissatisfaction with “limited and selective invitations to a few political figures,” saying that Afghanistan’s crisis is national in nature and requires a comprehensive political process.
It added that its members are ready to participate in “meaningful and sincere negotiations” with the Taliban, under the supervision and facilitation of “important” regional and international countries and the United Nations.
The council stressed that a sustainable solution can only be achieved through a meaningful and inclusive political process involving all political factions, tribal elders, national elites, opposition forces, civil society, and other segments of Afghan society.
It added that any solution must lead to the establishment of a “legitimate, accountable government accepted by the Afghan people and the international community.”
