Five senior Taliban leaders freed from Guantanamo Bay in return for a captured American soldier have joined the militants' Qatar office responsible for peace talks.
America has significantly escalated its push to start tentative negotiations, with senior US officials already meeting Taliban envoys twice in recent months.
The militants' appointment of the so-called Taliban Five also came just days after the release from Pakistani jail of another senior Taliban figure, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was also linked to potential talks.
Pakistan's Kabul embassy told local media that the release of the Taliban's former number two after eight years in jail had been to help start a peace process.
Abdul Hakim Mujahid, who was envoy to the United Nations during the Taliban regime, said all five Taliban leaders now joining the Qatar office were well respected by the rank-and-file.
"These people are respected among all the Taliban," he said. "Their word carries weight with the Taliban leadership and the mujahideen."
Each had been a significant figure in the Taliban regime before it was ousted in 2001 and their Guantanamo intelligence files described them as a “high risk” to the US and its allies.
Khairullah Khairkhwa, a former interior minister and governor of Herat province, was close to both Taliban founder Mullah Omar and Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Human Rights Watch accused Mohammed Fazl, the former Taliban army chief of staff of overseeing the deaths of thousands of minority Shiites in 2000.
The others include Abdul Haq Wasiq, once deputy intelligence minister; Mullah Norullah Nori a former provincial governor; and Mohammad Nabi,
The five were released in 2014 in return for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, who became America's only prisoner of war in the Afghan conflict after he walked off his base and was captured in 2009. The prisoner swap was criticised by senior Republicans at the time for freeing “the hardest of the hardcore” Taliban.
The five are believed to have lived in Qatar since their release, but until now have been under severe restrictions and unable to join the diplomatic office.
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"Taliban are bringing back their old generation, which means the Taliban have not changed their thinking or their leadership," said Haroun Mir, a political analyst in the Afghan capital.
Kabul is so far not involved in the preliminary talks, because the Taliban have long refused to meet with what they claim is a puppet administration.
Mr Mir said the Ashraf Ghani's government was so divided, it was unclear who could represent it if talks progressed.
Mullah Baradar has also in the past been touted as a potential negotiator and he was reportedly held by Pakistan in 2010 because Islamabad was angry at his unauthorised overtures to Kabul.
But it is not yet clear how much influence he retains after eight years in prison, or where he will live.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
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- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Kandahar%20
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Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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