US, Taliban near Afghanistan deal, fighting intensifies in north | World News, The Indian Express

US, Taliban near Afghanistan deal, fighting intensifies in north | World News, The Indian Express

By Reuters |Kabul |Updated: September 1, 2019 1:39:22 pm

US, Taliban near Afghanistan deal, fighting intensifies in north

Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born US diplomat overseeing negotiations for Washington, said he would travel to the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday for consultations after wrapping up the ninth round of talks with Taliban officials in Qatar.

Afghan security forces stand guard during a fight against Taliban fighters in Kunduz province north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019. The Taliban have launched a new large-scale attack on one of Afghanistan’s main cities, Kunduz, and taken hospital patients as hostages. (AP)

US and Taliban negotiators are close to a deal that would open the way for peace in Afghanistan, a top US official said on Sunday, as the insurgents followed their weekend assault on the strategic centre of Kunduz by attacking a second northern city.