Afghan Taliban scaling back operations for peace — spokesman

ISLAMABAD: Afghan Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Saturday there had been no talk of a ceasefire between US and Taliban negotiators, but conceded that some military operations had been scaled down to provide a “safe atmosphere,” as talks between the two sides continued in Qatar.
Peace talks between the two sides resumed in the capital Doha on Wednesday for the first time after a Taliban attack on a fortified US air base north of Kabul stalled negotiations in December. 
“A ceasefire has not been discussed, but some operations have been halted to provide a safe atmosphere during the days leading up to the agreement,” Shaheen told Arab News.
Earlier this week, a senior Taliban official told Arab News that the Taliban had offered a brief ceasefire to revive talks with the US following the diplomatic damage caused by the Bagram attack.
Taliban chief Sheikh Haibatullah approved a brief ceasefire after a three-member team of senior clerics justified the move to end the deadlock in peace talks, according to a Taliban official.
Media reports this week indicated the two sides were inching closer to signing a peace deal to end the 18 year Afghan war by the end of this month, with Shaheen telling local media house Dawn, that it was only a “matter of days” before the accord was signed. 
But Shaheen said on Saturday there was yet no assurance that the deal might be finalized in January.  
“I am not sure about that,” Shaheen told Arab News. “Today, we have a meeting, and we’ll see when the deal signing is possible as talks are still underway.”
“The negotiation process will continue for a few days and we will announce information from time to time, he said.
On Friday, US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad traveled to the UAE for a consultation with European and UN officials on the peace process.