New round of US-Taliban talks starts in Doha

A new round of peace talks between the Taliban and the US got underway in Qatar on Wednesday, as the foes continue to seek a way out of America's longest war.

The latest negotiations come as pressure builds for some sort of breakthrough in the gruelling Afghan conflict, with Washington jostling for a resolution.

According to a Taliban spokesman, the group's top political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met with US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the men discussed "key aspects for a peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue".

Khalilzad, who has stressed "there is no final agreement until everything is agreed", has previously outlined the basic framework for a deal.

The pact would see the US agree to pull its forces from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban vowing to stop terror groups ever again using the country as a safe haven.

According to the Taliban, Baradar told Khalilzad it was vital those two key points "be finalised".

The US embassy in Kabul confirmed only that talks were ...