KABUL: Afghanistan signed a draft accord with the Hezb-e-Islami militant group on Wednesday in a move the government hopes could lead to a full peace accord with one of the most notorious warlords in the insurgency.
Hezb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is a veteran of decades of Afghan war.
The United States has also linked the group to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and put Hekmatyar on its designated terrorist list.
Hezb-e-Islami has played only a minor role in the Taliban-led insurgency in recent years and the deal is unlikely to have any immediate practical impact on security.
But with little sign that the Taliban are ready to join peace talks, the deal offers President Ashraf Ghani’s government a concrete sign that it is making headway in drawing insurgent groups away from the battlefield and into the political process.
Mohammad Khan, deputy to government Chief Executive Abdullah, said the draft accord was a positive step but more work would be needed for a final deal.
“We are optimistic about this agreement and we strongly support it,” he told reporters in Kabul before the accord was signed by a delegation from Hekmatyar’s party and officials from Afghanistan’s High Peace Council. But he added: “This doesn’t mean it’s finalized.” A tweet from Ghani’s deputy spokesman said the accord was at the stage of endorsement and verification but had not been signed by the president.
Kabul signs draft agreement with Hezb-e-Islami
Kabul signs draft agreement with Hezb-e-Islami
