<p class="title">The Taliban have again rejected an Afghan offer for peace talks with the government in Kabul.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Today's statement by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the insurgents "are not interested in talks while foreign soldiers are still on Afghan soil".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mujahid referred to last month's statement by the Afghan High Peace Council, a government body tasked with negotiating an end to the nearly 17-year war with the insurgents, which had called on the Taliban to join the peace process.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mujahid also repeated long-standing Taliban claims that Afghan government officials are "puppets".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taliban leaders have at times expressed interest in holding peace talks but they have refused to meet with the US-backed government, saying they will only negotiate with the United States directly about the withdrawal of all foreign forces. </p>
<p class="title">The Taliban have again rejected an Afghan offer for peace talks with the government in Kabul.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Today's statement by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the insurgents "are not interested in talks while foreign soldiers are still on Afghan soil".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mujahid referred to last month's statement by the Afghan High Peace Council, a government body tasked with negotiating an end to the nearly 17-year war with the insurgents, which had called on the Taliban to join the peace process.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mujahid also repeated long-standing Taliban claims that Afghan government officials are "puppets".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taliban leaders have at times expressed interest in holding peace talks but they have refused to meet with the US-backed government, saying they will only negotiate with the United States directly about the withdrawal of all foreign forces. </p>