A recent string of militant attacks on the Helmand province and the fighting which entered its 11th day has given the Afghan government’s negotiating team the jitters, prompting their scorns for the group’s ‘saber-rattling’.

The Afghan delegates say the Taliban attacks on Helmand and Badakhshan have impinged upon the peace talks in Qatar and that the Taliban’s goal has been to influence the negotiations.

“The intensity of the Taliban attacks and the casualties inflicted on our military and civilians every day certainly have detrimental effects on the peace negotiations,” said Fauzia Kofi, a member of Afghanistan’s negotiating team.

http://www.afghanistantimes.af/afghanistan-condemns-taliban-sabre-rattling-in-helmand/