Taliban leaders have met officials from the United States in Qatar for the first time since their return to power in Afghanistan two years ago, Ednews reports citing AlJazeera.
A spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that the two sides discussed confidence-building measures during the two-day talks, including the lifting of sanctions and travel bans as well as the return of Afghan central bank assets held abroad.
The delegations also discussed combating narcotics and human rights issues, Abdul Qahar Balkhi said.
The US State Department said in a statement that its officials told the Taliban that Washington was open to technical talks on economic stability and repeated concerns about “deteriorating” human rights in the country.
Attendees – including US Special Representative Thomas West and Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri – voiced “grave concern regarding detentions, media crackdowns, and limits on religious practice”, according to the statement.
The officials also called anew on the Taliban to reverse bans on girls’ secondary education and women’s employment as well as for the release of detained Americans.
They also “voiced openness to continue dialogue on counternarcotics”, recognizing a “significant decrease in cultivation” of poppies this growing season.
