Top Afghan negotiator questions point of Doha talks as Taliban attacks surge

KABUL: The head of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation on Friday questioned the purpose of intra-Afghan talks when the Taliban were making “no effort” to reduce violence and reach a peace agreement with the government.

Taliban offensives in various parts of Afghanistan have escalated in recent weeks even as negotiators began meeting in Doha, Qatar, on Sept. 12, hoping to agree on a cease-fire and a power-sharing deal to bring an end to the protracted conflict.