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Associated PressAfghans move toward reconciliation with Taliban
By LARA JAKES (AP) – 49 minutes ago
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan — Local Afghan leaders told a top U.S. Marine commander Monday that they plan to step up efforts to reconcile with midlevel Taliban in the extremists' southern Helmand province stronghold, where U.S. forces launched a major offensive in recent weeks.
U.S. military officials have little hope of their own for a cease-fire agreement with Taliban leaders. But Afghan officials said they are looking to turn what some call the "ten-dollar Taliban" — locals who are hired to fight for the militants.
"We have seen that they also are interested — that the middle-level Taliban are also interested in reconciliation," Helmand Gov. Gullab Mangal Mangal said Monday.
During discussions with U.S. Gen. James Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, Mangal said that with the recent presidential elections now done, he was starting to work on a reconciliation strategy.
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