US resumes talks with Taliban in Doha

Washington resumed talks with the Taliban in Qatar Saturday, a US source said, three months after President Donald Trump abruptly halted diplomatic efforts that could end America's longest war.

In September, the United States and the Taliban had appeared on the verge of signing a deal that would have seen Washington begin withdrawing thousands of troops in return for security guarantees.

It was also expected to pave the way towards direct talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul and, ultimately, a possible peace agreement after more than 18 years of war.

But that same month, Trump abruptly called the year-long effort "dead" and withdrew an invitation to the insurgents to join secret talks at his US retreat at Camp David after the killing of an American soldier.

"The US rejoined talks today in Doha. The focus of discussion will be reduction of violence that leads to intra-Afghan negotiations and a ceasefire," said the US source briefed on efforts to end almost two decades of war in Afghanistan.

During a surprise visit to a US military base in Afghanistan last week, Trump said the Taliban "wants to make a deal."

Even during the stall in talks, US negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad has in recent weeks made a whistle-stop tour of nations with a stake in Afghan peace, including Pakistan. He recently arranged a captive swap in which the Taliban released an American and an Australian academic whom they had held hostage for three years.

The Taliban have until now refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime.

In a nod to concerns raised by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the State Department voiced support for a ceasefire - a key priority for Kabul before it enters negotiations with the Islamist insurgents.

"Ambassador Khalilzad will rejoin talks with the Taliban to discuss steps that could lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and a peaceful settlement of the war, specifically a reduction in violence that leads to a ceasefire," the State Department said on Wednesday as it announced the resumption of efforts to end the conflict. Washington had sought to seal a political deal with the Taliban ahead of September's elections in Afghanistan.

An agreement with the Taliban is expected to have two main pillars - a US withdrawal from Afghanistan and a commitment by the militants not to offer sanctuary to jihadists.-AFP

BR staff reporter Ali Hussain adds from Islamabad: The United States and Taliban resumed peace talks in Doha after a deadlock of almost three months, as President Donald Trump had called off the process in September 2019.

This was announced by Suhail Shaheen, the spokesperson for the Taliban's political office in Doha, in a series of tweets on Saturday who stated that the Taliban's negotiating team resumed the talks with the US team on Saturday 'from where they were broken off.'

"Signing of the [peace] agreement and related issues were discussed. Negotiations will continue on Sunday," Shaheen said.

The Taliban's Doha office spokesperson further stated that Anas Haqqani also participated in Saturday's talks as a member of the Taliban negotiating team.

Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network, was recently released by Afghan government along with two other Taliban leaders in exchange for two professors of the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul - American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks.

Pakistan on Friday welcomed the resumption of US-Taliban talks and hoped that it will lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and ultimately to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

"Pakistan encourages all parties to the conflict to engage constructively as a shared responsibility. Pakistan has always maintained that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan," said Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal, adding that an inclusive peace and reconciliation process, involving all segments of the Afghan society, is the only practical way forward.

The development comes after US President Trump paid a surprise trip to Afghanistan on November 28, 2019 to celebrate Thanksgiving with the US troops where he also announced the resumption of peace talks with the Taliban.

It was followed by US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad's visit to Kabul on Wednesday last to take the Afghan government into confidence over Trump administration's decision to resume the stalled peace process.