Taliban, US representatives to hold talks in Qatar: Report

Representatives of the Afghan militant group, Taliban, and the US are reportedly to hold talks in Qatar.

Reports say the Friday talks will include discussions on a possible peace deal.

“Five former members of the supreme council of the Afghan Taliban, headed by Tayyab Agha, will hold talks with the US,” a senior Taliban cadre based in Pakistan told AFP on Thursday.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the militant group, also confirmed that a Taliban delegation is in Qatar, without giving further details.

The US officials have made no comments on the issue yet.

Previous efforts made by the US to reach a deal with Taliban have been fruitless.

The Taliban opened an office in Qatar in June 2013, but it shut a month later.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but after more than 13 years, insecurity remains the order of the day across the country.