New round of US-Taliban peace talks open in Qatar

The United States has formally restarted peace negotiations with the Taliban aimed at finding a political settlement ending the war in Afghanistan.

Iran Press/Middle East: The United States has resumed talks with the Taliban in Qatar, three months after the US President Donald Trump abruptly halted diplomatic efforts that could end America's longest war.

According to Aljazeera, Washington has resumed talks with the Taliban in Qatar today. It comes three months after President Donald Trump abruptly halted diplomatic efforts that could end America's longest war.

The US rejoined talks today in Doha. The focus of discussion will be the reduction of violence that leads to intra-Afghan negotiations and a ceasefire.

The US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Saturday held the first official talks since September with the Afghan group in Qatar's capital, Doha, a US State Department spokesperson said.

The renewed talks were 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.

The Qatari government played host to the U.S.-Taliban dialogue before it was halted by Trump Sept. 7 in retaliation for an insurgent attack in the Afghan capital, Kabul, that killed an American soldier among others.

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