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US, Taliban Open Doha Talks in Fresh Bid to End War

Associated Press

   ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - A fresh round of talks between the U.S. and the
   Taliban began in Qatar on Saturday, just days after U.S. Secretary of
   State Mike Pompeo said Washington is hoping for an Afghan peace
   agreement before Sept. 1.

   Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed to The Associated Press
   that negotiations had begun. Originally scheduled to begin in the
   morning, the two sides sat down mid-afternoon for the seventh time in a
   series of direct talks that began last year following the appointment
   of U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

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