Mullah Omar to appoint high-level team for formal US talks

Taliban leader, Mullah Muhmmad Omar, will appoint a high-level team for formal talks with the United States.

The move comes following progress in the 'exploratory talks' with American officials in Qatar, a Taliban spokesperson has said.

Suhail Shaheen, Taliban spokesperson for the Qatar political office, told The Express Tribune via telephone from Doha, that the present Taliban team in the Gulf state will hold preliminary talks with the Americans.

He added that they will discuss key issues later in formal dialogue.

According to the report, Taliban sources said that nearly 30 Taliban representatives, including six members of the top leadership, are currently in Qatar.

Shaheen said the Taliban will first hold talks with the US as it is the major party to the conflict. He added that they will ask the United States on releasing their prisoners in Guantanamo and other US prisons, as their release will be a big confidence-building measure for the talks, the report added.