Suhail Shaheen, Taliban spokesperson and a member of peace negotiating team, has said the group won't stop fighting until Afghanistan has a new government that is acceptable to all sides.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Shaheen said, "We do not believe in the monopoly of power because any government who wants to monopolise power in Afghanistan in the past, they were not successful governments. So, we do not want to repeat that failed formula."
He added, that the Afghan government doesn't want reconciliation, but surrendering of Taliban saying, "They want, 'come and have ceasefire and we will continue our government as it is.' So that is also not a realistic approach, not a pragmatic approach.", emphasising that Afghans should agree upon a new government that would replace current Kabul administration.
Captured districts by mediation and talks
Commenting on Taliban's strategy in capturing Afghan districts, Shaheen said that those districts have been fallen under their control through mediation of the people and talks, not through fighting saying: "It would have been very hard for us to take 194 districts just in eight, eight weeks."
The Taliban have swiftly captured territory in recent weeks, seized strategic border crossings and are threatening a number of provincial capitals, as the last US and NATO soldiers leave Afghanistan.
This week, the top US military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, told a Pentagon press conference that the Taliban have "strategic momentum," and he did not rule out a complete Taliban takeover.
But he said it is not inevitable.
