Russia expresses willingness to hold talks between Taliban and National Resistance Forces

Russian Foreign Ministry has announced that they are willing to hold discussions between the Taliban and their opposition, National Resistance Forces (NRF). As per the reports of Khaama Press, in a weekly press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry press and information chief Alexy Ziatsf stated that Russia is ready to organise negotiations between the Taliban and other forces in Afghanistan.

Last week, both the Taliban and NRF refuted claims of the officials meeting in Russia, as rumours circulated that Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and acting Defense Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid would travel to Russia to meet with the head of the NRF, Ahmad Masoud, and the leader of the Jamiat-e-Islami Afghanistan (JIA) party, Salahuddin Rabbani, according to Khaama Press.

Both sides eventually quashed the rumours. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15 last year, the parties have only met once, in Tehran, Iran's capital. In the meetings, acting Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Motaqi met with Ahmad Masoud.

NRF and JIA to meet with the Taliban's acting Defense Minister

The commanders of both camps, NRF and JIA, will meet with the Taliban's acting Defense Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid and Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in Moscow, according to The Khaama Press. Reports also say that Amrullah Saleh has arrived in Moscow, while Ahmad Masoud and Salahudin Rabbani will arrive later. 

On January 24, it was reported that former Afghan Intelligence Chief Rahmatullah Nabil, Mullah Yaqoob Mujahid and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar had arrived in Moscow.

Earlier in January, in Tehran, negotiations between the NRF and the Taliban ended without a conclusion. Following the fall of Kabul on August 15, the National Resistance Front (NRF) remained the last force opposing the Taliban, led by Ahamd Masoud, who is the son of late former Afghan guerrilla commander Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Russia raised doubts about the Taliban delegation's visit to Oslo

In the meanwhile, Russia raised doubts on Monday about the Taliban delegation's visit to Oslo for a three-day talk with Western envoys. The Russian Foreign Ministry's Second Asia Department Head, Zamir Kabulov stated that the Oslo talks with the Taliban are unlikely to produce beneficial outcomes, according to Sputnik.

(Inputs from ANI)

Image: @ahmadmassoud1/Facebook, AP