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Afghanistan wary of U.S.-Taliban talks

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has expressed his concern over the possibility of secret deals between the U.S. and the Taliban. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has expressed his concern over the possibility of secret deals between the U.S. and the Taliban. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian | License Photo

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- An aide to Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he's worried about the possibility of a secret deal between the Taliban and the United States.

Chief of Staff Abdul Karim Khurram, in an interview Thursday with The New York Times, said Afghan officials were not being kept well informed about U.S. talks with the Taliban.

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"We have been briefed regularly by the Americans, but we don't know all the details," Khurram was quoted as saying. "We demand more clarity."

He said Afghanistan is not pleased with the decision to allow the Taliban to open an office in Qatar, where talks will begin.

"We wanted the office to be in Afghanistan, or if not, in Saudi Arabia or Turkey," Khurram said Thursday. "But if the Taliban and America are happy about it, and if it puts an end to the war, and if it puts an end to the killing of Afghans, then we have agreed with Qatar as well."

The Times said Khurram repeatedly expressed concern during the interview about the possibility of a secret or separate deal between the Americans and the Taliban.

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"We think if it's not Afghan-led, the peace process will not be fruitful," he said. "In case there were a secret deal, we would be concerned about it. If it's about the peace process, then we are not worried."

More than two dozen people died Wednesday and Thursday in attacks by insurgents in southern Afghanistan.

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