The Taliban have been rebelling against the Afghan government since 2001, and will not participate in new peace talks until international forces leave the country. Peace talks have been on hold since last year. The Quadrilateral Coordination Group, made up of representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US, wanted to have talks with the Taliban early this month, but the Taliban vetoed the idea. ‘We reject all such rumours and unequivocally state that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has not authorised anyone to participate in this meeting,’ they said in a statement. The Islamic Emirate wants the occupation of Afghanistan to end, blacklists to be eliminated, and ‘innocent’ prisoners freed. The Taliban have stepped up their opposition to the Afghan government with a winter offensive. The US has launched air strikes against Taliban positions, something the Taliban say must stop before talks are resumed.