KARACHI, January 25: The Afghan Taliban have appointed Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as the new head of their political office in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, as the insurgent group looks to strengthen its hand in peace talks with the United States to end the 17-year Afghan war.
“The Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] has appointed Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as adviser on political affairs and head of the Political Office in Doha, Qatar,” Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said
a statement emailed to the media late on Thursday night.
According to sources, Mullah Baradar, who co-founded the Taliban movement in Afghanistan with the late Mullah Omar, has also been appointed as the third deputy of Taliban Ameer Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada.
Mullah Baradar was captured in a joint raid by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a raid in Karachi in February 2010. He remained in detention in Pakistan until his release in October last year. Mullah Baradar would replace Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, who has been heading the Taliban political office in Doha. “This step has been taken to further strengthen the ongoing negotiations with the Americans,” Zabihullah said while referring to the talks between Taliban negotiators and US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha. – Agencies
