HIA factions in talks on reunification

KABUL (HIA) have been in talks to reach a consensus on fielding a joint candidate in next year’s presidential elections and a possible reunification, sources have said.

Last week, a five-member delegation of the HIA faction led by Gulbadin Hekmatyar visited Kabul and held talks with members of the breakaway faction led by Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal.

Mudir Mohammad Rassoul who led the delegation met with Waheedullah Sabawon, Khalid Farooq and other members of Arghandiwal’s party to reach a consensus on a joint candidate, the sources said.

“The delegation is still in Kabul and is scheduled leave in near future”,  said Abdullah Kamawal, a spokesman for Arghandiwal party. He confirmed the Gulbadin delegation had meetings with their party representatives on a possible reunification of the two factions.

Dr. Ghairat Baheer, the HIA (Hekmatyar) political committee head has previously said their talks with political parties in Kabul on next year’s polls had gone well. He said the visit was part of the group’s ongoing talks with some political parties.

An executive board member of the HIA faction led by Arghandiwal, Eng. Mohammad Khan, said they had detailed discussions with the delegation. Both sides conferred on several issues, he added.

Khan said the visiting delegation had presented some conditions for the elections. They discussed those conditions, in addition to other issues, he said.

In 1979, Mulavi Younas Khalis split with Hekmatyar and established his own Hezbi Islami, known as the Khalis faction, with its power base in Nangarhar.

Hekmatyar’s faction is considered a terrorist organization by Coalition Forces in Afghanistan and is on the additional list called “Groups of Concern of the US State Department.

The non-violent faction of the Hezbi Islami is a registered political party led by Arghandiwal.

mrh/ma  

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