A former Afghan Taliban official is reporting little progress in negotiations between the Taliban and the United States. The two sides are attempting to reach a political settlement to end the war in Afghanistan. Hopes for peace talks increased in June. That was when the militant group agreed to a ceasefire at the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month. But recently, Taliban forces launched offensives and put Afghan security forces under severe pressure. The former Taliban official, Waheed Muzhda, is in Kabul, but has been in contact with Taliban leaders. He said the negotiations are stuck over the issue of U.S. military bases in the country. The “…U.S. wants the Taliban to accept at least two military bases: Bagram and Shorabak. The Taliban are not willing to accept it,” the former official said.
Title: Afghanistan Peace Talks Stuck on Issue of US Bases
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/fb69683e-c966-4d1b-8b4a-d6462c990795_hq__1_.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Afghanistan Peace Talks Stuck on Issue of US Bases' data-article-id='3364'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12396'>A former Afghan Taliban official is reporting little progress in negotiations between the Taliban and the United States.</span> <span data-start-time='12396' data-end-time='21792'>The two sides are attempting to reach a political settlement to end the war in Afghanistan.</span> <span data-start-time='21792' data-end-time='27042'>Hopes for peace talks increased in June.</span> <span data-start-time='27042' data-end-time='39063'>That was when the militant group agreed to a ceasefire at the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month.</span> <span data-start-time='39063' data-end-time='52375'>But recently, Taliban forces launched offensives and put Afghan security forces under severe pressure.</span> <span data-start-time='52375' data-end-time='65417'>The former Taliban official, Waheed Muzhda, is in Kabul, but has been in contact with Taliban leaders.</span> <span data-start-time='65417' data-end-time='75667'>He said the negotiations are stuck over the issue of U.S. military bases in the country.</span> <span data-start-time='75667' data-end-time='87500'>The “…U.S. wants the Taliban to accept at least two military bases: Bagram and Shorabak.</span> <span data-start-time='87500' data-end-time='96458'>The Taliban are not willing to accept it,” the former official said.</span> 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data-correct-choice='the use of persuasion, influence, or intimidation to make someone do something'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_use_of_persuasion_influence_or_intimidation_to_make_someone_do_something.wav'><span>the use of persuasion, influence, or intimidation to make someone do something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_act_of_planting_trees_in_a_certain_area.wav'><span>the act of planting trees in a certain area</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_leader_or_head_of_something.wav'><span>the leader or head of something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_belief_in_a_god_or_higher_power.wav'><span>the belief in a god or higher power</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=11504 data-hint-location='12396' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_two_sides_are_attempting_to_reach_a_political_settlement_to_end_what.wav'>The two sides are attempting to reach a political settlement to end what?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the war in Afghanistan'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_war_in_afghanistan.wav'><span>the war in Afghanistan</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_gulf_war.wav'><span>the Gulf War</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_cold_war.wav'><span>the Cold War</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/peace_treaties.wav'><span>peace treaties</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=11505 data-hint-location='87500' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/the_taliban_are_not_willing_to__blank__it_the_former_official_said.wav'>The Taliban are not willing to <span class='blank'>accept</span> it, the former official said.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='accept'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/pay_for.wav'><span>pay for</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/deny.wav'><span>deny</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/accept.wav'><span>accept</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2804/promise.wav'><span>promise</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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