Former Afghan spy chief raises doubt over Khalilzad’s intention in peace talks

In his latest presser, former chief of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan’s spy agency, Rahmatullah Nabil raised doubt over intention behind efforts of the US peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, regarding deal over national interest of Afghanistan in peace talks with the Taliban. This comes as Khalilzad departed Washington on July 24 to travel to Doha, Islamabad, Kabul, Oslo, and Sofia.

Indirectly pointing to US, Pakistan, Qatar, and Khalilzad, Nabil asserted that the people of Afghanistan were sidelined in the peace process and “other countries and individuals” were making decision regarding the country’s fate. “I have the right to ask questions about Afghanistan’s [national] interests and express doubt. He (Khalilzad) should not introduce me as enemy of peace for expressing this doubt,” the former Afghan intelligence chief noted. Describing Khalilzad as “architect of the Bonn process” he further went on to raise question that why the Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami were sidelined at Bonn Conference held in 2001.