Have Taliban leaders moved back to Afghanistan from Pakistan

KABUL: In order to build on 2016’s gains in the war and to establish a permanent presence, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Afghan Taliban leaders may have moved back to Afghanistan after spending over a decade in Pakistan.

AP quotes Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid stating the Taliban leadership moved to Afghanistan some months ago. The Taliban spokesman did not reveal the exact location of the move.

A spokesman from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s office said there was no confirmation of the move and the government still believed the Taliban were operating in safe havens outside Afghanistan.

Senior Taliban commander Asad Afghan, told AP the move would help consolidate the Taliban’s dominant position when peace talks resumed.