US and Taliban officials discuss demands for peace

A meeting between US and Taliban officials in the Qatar capital have shown "very positive signals", according to news agencies, as the two sides seek to end an ongoing war in Afghanistan.

The meeting took place at a Doha hotel amid a "friendly atmosphere", a Taliban official told Reuters, with signs that the talks could fruition into a more concrete peace initiative.

"You can't call it peace talks," the Taliban source said, who was part of a four member delegation.

"These are a series of meetings for initiating formal and purposeful talks. We agreed to meet again soon and resolve the Afghan conflict through dialogue."

From the US side, the team was led by Alice Wells, deputy assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, the Wall Street Journal reported, although this information is yet to be confirmed.

Afghan government officials did not take part in the talks, at the insistence of the Taliban.

The Taliban have demanded that its fighters be allowed free movement between two Afghan provinces, an idea the Kabul government has already rejected.

They also want to be represented in the Kabul government, with the US seeking for the Taliban to lay down its arms and commit to a peaceful coexistence with the Afghan state.

The only US demand is to retain its military bases in Afghanistan, the Taliban official said. This is something that the Taliban clearly opposes.

"We have held three meetings with the US and we reached a conclusion to continue talks for meaningful negotiations," a second Taliban official told Reuters.

"However, our delegation made it clear to them that peace can only be restored to Afghanistan when all foreign forces are withdrawn," he said.

A brief ceasefire between the Taliban and the government to celebrate the end of Ramadan was viewed as a sign that a wider peace plan could be achieved in Afghanistan.

Another ceasefore for the Eid al-Adha holidays could also be in the making.

"So a long-term ceasefire is expected on Eid-ul Adha. Both sides agreed upon the continuation of the meetings and talks and another meeting is expected before Eid, but the exact time and place is not clear yet."

War between the US and Taliban has been ongoing since 2001, when Washington helped the Northern Alliance take control of Afghanistan.

Since then the Taliban has fought a fierce insurgency, with an increase in violent attacks on government forces and the capital Kabul since Spring.

The Afghan government also faces a new threat from the Islamic State group, which has emerged in the north and east of the country and viewed as a much more radical outfit than the Taliban.

The Taliban has also fought battles with IS militants who it sees as a threat to its own influence in Afghanistan.

Qatar hosts a "Taliban embassy" in Doha, which has been used to communicate between the insurgents, and the US and Afghan government.


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