The US negotiators and Taliban representatives will resume talks in Doha on Saturday after a two-day break. 

The talks were called off for two days aimed at consultations between working groups of the two sides. 

The two sides had “extensive” discussions on US troop withdrawal and counterterrorism efforts, according to sources.  

The four main topics of US-Taliban talks in Qatar have been US forces withdrawal from Afghanistan, ensuring that Afghanistan’s territory is not used as a threat to any other country, a comprehensive ceasefire and direct talks with the Afghan government. This was confirmed by the Afghan government as well as by sources ahead of the talks.   

“The timeline for withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan will be determined and Taliban will promise that no threat will be posed to other countries from Afghanistan,” said Wahid Muzhda, a political affairs analyst. 

“The Americans say Taliban commitments can be implemented only when they become part of the Afghan government,” said Sami Yusufzai, a Qatar-based journalist said. 

Mohammad Daud Abidi, head of Afghan People Peace Jirga, who is tasked to organize the next round of talks between Afghan politicians and Taliban members said the Afghan government is also invited for the meeting. 

The first round of talks between the Afghan politicians and representatives of the Taliban was held in Moscow and according to sources the next round will be held in Doha. 

“This has been decided that Afghans should make their future government by their own. There are issues such as elections, prisoners and the blacklist, which should be discussed,” said Abidi. 

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who sat with Taliban members for the fifth time in Qatar since last September, said on Thursday that the meetings in the last three days with the group’s members in Doha were “productive”.