Taliban ‘meeting US officials’ in UAE – spokesman

The Taliban have said they are holding “another” meeting on Monday with US officials, this time in the United Arab Emirates, AFP reports. The meeting, in the latest attempt to bring a negotiated end to Afghanistan’s war, also involves Saudi, Pakistani and Emirati representatives according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Khalil Minawi, director of Afghanistan’s state-run Bakhtar news agency, also confirmed the meeting. He said on Twitter that officials from the US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UAE held meetings Sunday ahead of “the Pakistani-sponsored US-Taliban meeting.” Afghan officials are not expected to attend Monday’s meeting, but their presence in the UAE is seen as a significant step in efforts to get the two sides talking.