The Taliban is ready to begin intra-Afghan negotiations within a week if the prisoner release is completed, said spokesman Suhail Shaheen in an interview with BBC Pashto.

Shaheen said the first round of talks will be led by Abbas Stanikzai, the former chief negotiator of the Taliban during their talks with the United States.

His remarks come hours after the Loya Jirga with 3,400 delegates approved the release of 400 high-value Taliban prisoners, a decision that was deemed a key hurdle to the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations.

The first round of the negotiations is expected to be held in Doha, Qatar.  

In response to a question on the Taliban’s willingness for a ceasefire, which was called for at the Jirga, Shaheen said: “The ceasefire is part of the intra-Afghan negotiations agenda that will be discussed there. It has been mentioned in the Doha agreement.”

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/taliban-ready-begin-peace-talks-week-spokesman