Detention of Taliban commander by UAE disrupts Afghan peace talks

According to Afghan officials, a former Taliban commander involved in peace negotiations with the Afghan government has been detained in the United Arab Emirates.

According to Washington Post, the officials believe the arrest thwarts the long-term reconciliation efforts of President Hamid Karzai’s government.
Officials also said Agha Jan Motasim, the Taliban’s former finance minister, was taken from his family’s home by Emirati authorities about a month ago, just as Karzai’s government was growing optimistic about a breakthrough in peace talks.
Afghan officials say Motasim was the best chance Afghanistan had to reach a peace deal with the Taliban, which U.S. and Afghan forces have been fighting since 2001.
In recent years, he had held meetings with current and former Taliban members, expressing hope for the peace process. He gave interviews to international news media outlets to broadcast his plans for reconciliation.