President Ashraf Ghani’s government has come up with a list of eleven names of Afghans, led by the President’s Chief of Staff Salam Rahimi, as the team of negotiators for peace talks with the Taliban, TOLOnews learned.

The team includes two cabinet ministers, Minister Mirwais Balkhi of Education and Minister Hassina Safi of Information and Culture, deputy ministers Dr Alema of Refugees and Repatriation, Abdul Tawab Balakarzai of Higher Education and Gen Ebadullah Ebad of NDS; a member of the Supreme Court Abdullah Attai, MP Shahgul Rezaee, Ulema Council member Attaullah Ludin, Paktia Governor Shamin Katawzi and MoFA Director of Cultural Affairs Tooryalai Ghiasi.

The High Peace Council and the Presidential Palace have not commented on the list but sources have told TOLOnews that the list might change.

This comes after the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad called on government to introduce an inclusive team of negotiators to engage in peace talks with the Taliban.

The Taliban has repeatedly said that they will not talk to the Afghan government, but hinted that they will talk to Afghan leaders outside the government, something missing in the list seen by TOLOnews.