The Afghan government on Sunday hailed a meeting of Afghan politicians and members of the Taliban in the Gulf state of Qatar as a crucial step in promoting peace and reconciliation in the country but once again reiterated that face-to-face talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban were a must to end the ongoing conflict in the country.

Almost 50 delegates from Afghanistan and 17 representatives of the Taliban have attended a two-day intra-Afghan dialogue conference in Doha, co-hosted by Germany and Qatar, which kicked off on Sunday.

The Taliban’s attack in the city of Ghazni that left 12 dead and 150 others wounded was “strongly” condemned by the Presidential Palace, the Chief Executive’s Office, the US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and was called an “indiscriminate and horrific” attack.

President Ghani said the Taliban took the responsibility of the “horrific and disgraceful” act in which civilians, specially children, were affected.