WASHINGTON: Secret meetings of United States officials with Haqqani network disclosed and US officials also confirmed these meetings; meanwhile the son of Jalal-ud-Din Haqqani, Ibrahim Haqqani represented Haqqani network in the meetings.
According to US newspaper “Wall Street Journal” the US officials met with leaders of the Haqqani network in meetings arranged by the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) earlier this summer.
According to the newspaper, a Pakistani official said Islamabad contacted with Haqqani network in end of previous year and arranged a meeting between Haqqani network and US in this summer at Middle Eastern country; meanwhile no representative of Afghan government was present in the meeting.
The Pakistani official said that brother of Siraj-ud-Din Haqqani represent Haqqani network in the meeting; meanwhile the US State Department cannot give any comment over the news of meeting.
Meanwhile the newspaper quoting the statement of Hillary Clinton said US has contacts with Haqqani network and other groups in Afghanistan and in the region which are in its initial stages.
According to US officials these meetings were held before the increasing attacks of Haqqani network in Afghanistan, adding these attacks create hurdles in meeting with Haqqani networks; meanwhile the efforts of peace talks were not terminated, they are continuously going on.
US officials said that the connection with different groups cannot beneficial for US but peace talks are necessary for peace and end of war in Afghanistan.