Key politicians with background of anti-Taliban or anti-Soviet resistance are converging in their areas of influence to mobilise forces for a likely face-off with the marching Taliban. But rights groups fear such militias could become abusive force.
Taliban is "really committed to peace, but think the obstacle for peace should be removed first," Taliban co-founder and political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar says in a rare televised appearance at the start of the two-day meeting in Moscow.