Afghan Government and Taliban Agree to Peace Talks in Doha

Kabul, MINA – The Afghan government and Taliban agree that Doha will be the first meeting place in their peace talks, the two sides said on Sunday.

No date has been announced yet for the meeting, but it is expected to take place after the two sides resolve differences in liberation by the Afghan government of 5,000 Taliban prisoners, which could be as soon as next weekend.

“The first intra-Afghan meeting will take place in Doha,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Reuters.

He added that the group is ready to hold intra-Afghan talks within a week after the release of 5,000 prisoners.

The Afghan government has freed 3,000 Taliban prisoners so far under an agreement signed between the United States and the Taliban in February.

The agreement outlines a road map to withdraw foreign troops from Afghanistan and peace talks to end the 19-year war.

A senior government official said the government wanted talks to begin as soon as possible but had problems with the release of several hundred Taliban prisoners.

The capital of Qatar is the place to sign an agreement between the United States and the Taliban. The Taliban group has had a political office in Doha since 2013. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)