塔利班正式否认有关与阿富汗政府官员举行秘密会晤的相关报道，坚称该组织举行和谈的政策没有改变。
英国卫报星期二独家发表的文章援引匿名的阿富汗官员以及塔利班内部消息来源证实，今年9月和10月初，阿富汗交战双方在海湾国家卡塔尔首都多哈至少进行了两次互动。塔利班的政治谈判人员就住在卡塔尔。
喀布尔阿富汗政府内部消息来源也向美国之音证实了有关会晤的消息，但是没有提供进一步细节。阿富汗总统发言人达瓦·门纳波尔没有直接谈及多哈会晤，他对美国之音表示，政府正在尽一切可能的努力，与准备进行和谈的有关组织接触，以促进国家的稳定。
塔利班主要发言人扎比胡拉·穆加希德在向包括美国之音在内的媒体发送的声明中说，塔利班的和谈政策“非常明确，没有改变”。他还敦促媒体不要发表没有根据的报道。塔利班谴责加尼总统的联合政府是一个“傀儡政权”，并誓言外国军队全部撤出阿富汗前，不参与任何和平进程。
这家英国报纸还援引一位匿名的阿富汗官员的话说，卡塔尔会晤期间一名美国高级外交官在场，不过美国政府还没有就报道中的说法发表评论。
The Taliban has formally refuted reports of secret meetings with Afghan government officials, insisting there has been no change in the group's policy for holding peace negotiations.
The Guardian newspaper, in an exclusive article published Tuesday, quoted anonymous Afghan officials and sources within the Taliban as confirming at least two interactions between the warring sides in September and early October. It said the meetings took place in Doha, capital of the Gulf state of Qatar, where Taliban political negotiators are based.
A source within the Afghan government in Kabul also confirmed the meetings to VOA, without sharing further details. Afghan presidential spokesman Dawa Khan Menapal, without directly commenting on the Doha meetings, told VOA the government is making "all possible efforts" to engage with groups that are ready for peace talks, in order to promote stability in the country.
In a statement sent to media, including VOA, Taliban's main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Taliban's policy about holding peace talks is "very clear and has not changed." He also urged the media to refrain from publishing unfounded reports. The Taliban condemns President Ashraf Ghani's coalition government as a "puppet regime" and has vowed not to engage in any peace process until all foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan.
The British paper quoted an unnamed Taliban official as claiming a senior American diplomat was present at the Qatar meetings, although the U.S. government has not commented on the reported claim.
