Taliban delegation meets with US diplomats

Senior Taliban (prohibited in Russia) officials and United States representatives have discussed “opening a new page” in their countries’ relationship as they kicked off talks in Qatar, Al Jazeera informs citing Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister.

Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi, Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister, said the focus of the Afghan delegation was humanitarian aid, as well the implementation of the agreement the Taliban signed with Washington last year which paved the way for the final US withdrawal.

A spokesperson of the US State Department said on Friday evening that the talks were not about recognising or legitimising the Taliban as Afghanistan’s leaders, but are a continuation of pragmatic talks on issues of national interest for the US, Al Jazeera reports.