The State Department's special adviser for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, met with representatives of the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, on Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported and the Taliban confirmed to Al Jazeera Saturday. Neither the State Department nor the Afghan government would comment on the talks.
The specific topic of conversation is unknown, but this is reportedly the second time the two sides have met directly this year. "Khalilzad held a number of meetings with a wide range of stakeholders as part of his trip to explore how best to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan," a State Department official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The Trump administration is seeking a diplomatic solution to the United States' 17-year conflict in Afghanistan. When he was appointed last month, Khalilzad's responsibilities were described as "developing the opportunities to get the Afghans and the Taliban to come to a reconciliation."
Read here at The Week why diplomacy may be the only realistic solution to America's longest war.