KABUL: Talks between the United States and Afghan Taliban officials in Qatar entered a fourth day on Thursday, with the two sides trying to establish a mechanism for a ceasefire in the 17-year Afghan war and open dialogue between the insurgents and the government in Kabul. The Afghan Taliban who are fighting to oust foreign troops have repeatedly rejected the offer to hold direct talks with the President Ashraf Ghani’s government, which they consider an illegitimate foreign-imposed regime. Diplomatic efforts to end the United State’s longest-running conflict intensified last year after the appointment of the Afghan-born Khalilzad to lead direct talks with the Taliban. Khalilzad has held at least four meetings with the Taliban representatives. But there has been no let up in the violence, even as the two sides hold talks over meals in a hotel suite in Doha.

Source: Pakistan Today January 24, 2019 15:00 UTC