Third round of Taliban-Pakistan talks without any sign of progress.
The third round of Taliban-Pakistan talks is being held for the second consecutive day in Istanbul, Turkey.
The talks are being held behind closed doors and focus on security issues and curbing the activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), but so far there has been no sign of progress.
Pakistani officials have called for the destruction of terrorist groups and the prevention of the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan, and have warned that if the talks fail, a military option is on the table. The Taliban, however, consider these demands beyond their authority.
Meanwhile, a fierce clash between Taliban forces and the Pakistani army in Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, took place yesterday, resulting in the deaths and injuries of several civilians, including women and children.
Observers are assessing the incident as a sign of Islamabad’s on-the-ground pressure to gain the upper hand at the negotiating table.
