US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and their chief negotiator Mawlawi Abdul Hakim in Doha on Thursday night.

It comes as the talks between the Afghan negotiating team and the Taliban started three weeks ago, two sides have yet to reach a consensus over a framework to move the talks forward.

It seems that Khalilzad is visiting Doha to mediate the intra-Afghan talks as reports indicate that there are two disputed points between the teams. 

According to the reports, there was a dispute over the religious jurisprudence and recognition of the US-Taliban agreement signed in February, which is what led to the current talks and on which the negotiations are based – an agreement that the Afghan government was not a party to. 

Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban in a video message said in their meeting with Khalilzad, it was insisted that more efforts should be made for the implementation of the US-Taliban agreement.

Naeem stated that the two sides discussed the release of Taliban prisoners as well.

Meanwhile, Khalilzad met with the Afghan negotiating team on Thursday afternoon.

Sources stated that the meeting was focused on the start of direct talks between the government and the Taliban teams.