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"The United States has been trying to organize a meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government, but the Taliban have not accepted that," Mutmaeen said. "This was the first meeting where senior officials from both sides met, and the second meeting between the Americans and the Taliban. These meetings have a positive impact on the peace process and should continue. "
The Doha meeting comes days after the Taliban issued a statement calling on Afghans to boycott parliamentary elections next week. The insurgent group also said that its fighters would do everything possible to block the vote, already delayed by three years.
Despite security risks and political chaos, while the government and the opposition were fiercely fighting fears of fraud, about 2,500 candidates across the country continued to campaign. At least seven candidates have been killed so far.
On Saturday, a motorcyclist hit a rally for Nazifa Yousufi Bek, a candidate in Takhar province in the north of the country. At least 14 people were killed and 35 wounded, according to Nizamuddin Ghori, deputy police chief of the province. Ms. Bek survived the attack.
"I'm on the scene – it's blood and terror. People are fleeing, "eyewitness Mawlawi Keramatullah said by phone. He added that about 3,000 people had gathered in a large pitch for the election rally when the bomb exploded.
Khalilzad began his tour in Kabul last week, before traveling to Pakistan with the highest US military commander here in Afghanistan, General Austin Scott Miller. What Pakistan is doing is considered crucial to ending the conflict, as the Taliban leaders who are waging war in Afghanistan have long enjoyed sanctuaries in that country, putting them out of reach of Afghan forces and US drone strikes. The Trump administration has increased pressure on Pakistan to limit the freedom of Taliban leaders, forcing them to the table for talks.
Before meeting with Taliban officials on Friday, reported for the first time by the Wall Street Journal, Khalilzad stopped in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he reportedly met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. .
Afghan officials have long called on Saudi Arabia to use its influence as a leader of Sunni Muslims, its government as guardian of the holiest places in Islam, to try to persuade the Taliban to to engage in talks. Saudi Arabia showed more interest in playing a role after Trump's officials took over the Afghan government's call and the national security advisers from the three countries met to discuss how which the Saudis could help.
