“Suicide attacks by the Taliban against government targets over the last two days demonstrate the near futility of trying to negotiate with the group. Despite talks between the US and the Taliban over the last year and indications that the Obama administration is considering releasing Taliban prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay facility as part of a peace settlement, the Taliban thus far has shown no indications of agreeing to a cease-fire.” January 12, Newsmax.com

In addition, a BBC News report from January 6 states that the Taliban in Afghanistan are being “directly assisted by Pakistani security services, according to a secret Nato report.” This report, the result of thousands of interrogations, claims the Taliban “remain defiant and have wide support among the Afghan people.” The report also alleges that Pakistan knows the locations of senior Taliban leaders and has not divulged that information. After 10 years of war and the loss of thousands of lives and billions of dollars, this is very discouraging reading for Nato and the Afghan government.

A Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman denied these allegations calling them "ridiculous" and saying "we are committed to non-interference in Afghanistan and expect all other states to strictly adhere to this principle."

US Pentagon spokesman Captain John Kirby commented: "We have long been concerned about ties between elements of the ISI [Pakistan's intelligence service] and some extremist networks," said US Pentagon spokesman Captain John Kirby, adding that the US Defence Department had not yet seen the report.

Please pray for the peace and healing of both Pakistan and Afghanistan and for the cutting off of ties between Pakistan’s intelligence services and government with the Taliban. This is such a strategic part of the world and we need to keep covering it in our prayers of intercession with faith for breakthrough.