Former interior minister Jalali seen heading interim Afghan administration: Sources

Ali Ahmad Jalali, a US-based academic and former Afghan interior minister, is likely to be named to head an interim administration in Kabul, three diplomatic sources said on Sunday as Taliban fighters gathered around the city.

Earlier, acting Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said in a televised address that a peaceful transition would take place but no details have as yet been confirmed.

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It was not immediately clear whether the Taliban had given their final agreement to Jalali’s appointment but he was seen as a potentially acceptable compromise figure to oversee the transition of power, the sources said.

On Sunday, The Taliban’s spokesman has told the BBC that they are waiting for a “peaceful transition of power” within the next few days and that they want it to happen “as soon as possible,” calling the country’s President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders to work with them.

The spokesman also stated that the extremist group is seeking an inclusive Afghan government where all Afghans will be able to participate, according to Reuters, adding that they plan to respect the rights of women and will ensure access to education and work.

With Reuters

Read more: Taliban want ‘peaceful’ transition of power ‘as soon as possible’: Spokesman