Sources confirm to Aamaj News that Taliban have urged Shiite Ulema Council in Afghanistan to settle their tension with one of their commanders named, Mawlawi Mahdi, who recently abandoned their group and following this issue they deployed their forces around Balkhab district, Sar-e Pol.
According to sources a delegation of Shiite Ulema [religious scholars] will be heading to Balkhab to talk to Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid, but sources close to Mujahid told Aamaj News that their efforts will not be fruitful. They believe that the demands of Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid are crystal clear that he wants the rights of Hazaras be ensured in government [apparently Taliban will not accept as in the past ten months they could not fulfill the demands for forming an inclusive government, above all they believe their government is an inclusive one].
The sources added that it is not accepted that Shiites be looked contemptuously, and Mawlawi Mahdi Mujahid does not accept ceremonial posts.
On the other hand, Taliban sources said that they are all prepared to attack on Balkhab to arrest or kill Mawlawi Mahdi, if talks fail.
Balkhab is a strategic district in north part of Afghanistan, even Taliban could not capture the district entirely in their first rule back in 1996 to 2001. Right now it is controlled by Mawlawi Mahdi and his 500 armed men.
