Islamabad, Sept 17(ANI): The Haqqani network no longer has sanctuaries in Pakistan, and it will participate in Afghan peace talks only if the Taliban does, the insurgent group's leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has said.
The Haqqani network had rejected several peace gestures from the United States and the Karzai-led Afghan government in the past because they were an attempt to "create divisions" between militant groups, Sirajuddin told a foreign news agency in a telephone interview from an undisclosed location.
Any further efforts to do so would fail, added Sirajuddin, who is described by US forces in Afghanistan as one of their most deadly enemies.
He said that his group would support whatever solution the Afghan Taliban leadership suggested for the future of Afghanistan.
He also claimed that the Haqqani network did not have sanctuaries in Pakistan any more, and instead felt secure inside Afghanistan.
Gone are the days when the group's members were hiding in the mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Sirajuddin said, adding that now they consider ourselves more secure in Afghanistan.
Senior military and police officials are with the Haqqani network, he claimed, adding that there are 'sincere people' in the Afghan government who are loyal to the Taliban, as they know the outfit's goal is the liberation of the homeland from the clutches of occupying forces.
The United States has posted a bounty of up to 5 million dollar for Sirajuddin. (ANI)
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