Peace agreement with Hezb-e-Islami signed in Kabul By KHAAMA PRESS, Sep 22 2016

A draft peace agreement between Hezb-e-Islami party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was signed between the Afghan government and the party in Kabul today.
The signing of the agreement concluded in the presence of media during a press conference in one of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council that led the talks with the party since the beginning.
The agreement was signed following some days of delays that led to speculations that the deal was facing issues to be concluded.
However the Afghan government leaders as well as the Afghan parliament and several prominent politicians endorsed the signing of the agreement in a bid to end the ongoing insurgency through reconciliation process.
Earlier reports emerged earlier suggesting that the party has issued new impossible-to-meet demands to sign a peace agreement with the Afghan government.
According to the reports, the new demands included cancellation of pacts with the United States, a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops and that it be signed by a new government.
The new demands were made as Hekmatyar had earlier said he has changed his conditions for peace process with the Afghan government by stepping back from his demands for the complete withdrawal of foreign forces.
The delegation of Hezb-e-Islami arrived for peace talks with the Afghan government in mid March following the conclusion of Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meeting on Afghan peace process.
The QCG members, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, United States and China called on militant groups to join peace talks with the Afghan government in a bid to end the ongoing violence in the country.
However the Taliban group rejected to participate in peace talks and announced their spring offensive in mid-April this year forcing the Afghan government to step back from the talks and opt for military option to counter the insurgency led by the group.http://www.khaama.com/peace-agreement-with-hezb-e-islami-signed-in-kabul-01924