The Taliban on Monday said Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar would not attend talks with US representatives in Qatar due to the absence of his American counterpart.

AVA- The fifth round of peace talks between an expanded team of Taliban negotiators and a US delegation led by special representative Zalmay Khalilzad resumed in Doha on Monday.
According to reports, Baradar, who led the Taliban’s political commission, arrived in Qatar on a private plane on Sunday. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid hopes the talks would go well.
In a statement, Mujahid said: “Mullah Baradar is not participating in the talks because the team has been announced by him. The team head and members are capable of leading the talks with Americans.”
“As deputy political leader and co-founder of the Islamic Emirate, Mullah Baradar is not participating in the talks and so is his US counterpart,” Mujahid added.
The Taliban spokesman denied claims that Baradar was not participating in the talks as a result of differences within the militant group.