Afghanistan's Hekmatyar Sees Positive Shifts in Taliban Views

“The Taliban say they are ready to negotiate the future of the country and the composition of the government, to negotiate with politicians and discuss the formation of an all-Afghan government. I met with the Taliban and I see shifts in their tone, they learned a lot and gained experience, I see some shifts in their views, some positive shifts,” Hekmatyar said.

The official rejected claims that the Taliban are taking revenge on journalists and officials from the administrator of ex-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

“The position of the Taliban is different. As I see it, when the Taliban came, there were some positive changes that inspire hope for a better future. We should wait … They are ready to form an inclusive government following an agreement reached in the inter-Afghan negotiations,” Hekmatyar added.

* The Taliban is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other nations.