A diplomatic delegation from the US Embassy led by Counselor for Peace and Reconciliation Alan Misenheimer visited Herat on Tuesday for meetings with Acting Provincial Governor Mohayuddin Noori and civil society leaders representing women, youth, academia and media.

The visit supports Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad’s efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan through dialogue between the Taliban and representatives of the Afghan government and people, the US embassy said in a statement.  

The meetings come amid reports about a possible meeting of Taliban and US officials in Qatar on Wednesday.

The statement said the officials discussed the security situation in Badghis and Herat, and ways the United States can support local efforts to reduce violence and end the conflict.

The delegation also met with local officials, international aid agencies, and advocates engaged in providing relief to communities affected by the acute drought this year. 

Officials reviewed the delivery of US and international humanitarian assistance to Afghans in Badghis and Herat who have been displaced because of the drought. 

This assistance is provided to displaced communities where they are located this winter on an emergency basis, with a view toward early recovery of these communities this spring. 

So far, international assistance has reached 2.6 million Afghans in 22 drought-affected provinces, the majority of them in their home communities.

Altogether the United States has provided over $228 million in humanitarian relief nationwide, the statement said. This includes a recent delivery of temporary shelters and winter supplies for over 10,000 families in the two provinces, over 70,000 people total, and the distribution of those materials is now completed.