Delegates from the Afghan negotiating team at the first intra-Afghan talks ongoing in Doha have said
that an agreement on the procedural rules between the Afghanistan government and Taliban could
be reached within the next two days.

According to Tolo News, the two sides have agreed upon 18 out of the 20 procedural rules. However,
two main articles, which are based on a religious basis for the talks and connection of the USTaliban deal with the negotiations, are currently unresolved.

Tolo News further reported that the Taliban insisted that in case a dispute emerges during the
negotiations, the solution must be sought using the Hanafi jurisprudence and the foundation of the
talks must be based on the deal the Taliban signed with the US in February. The Afghan
government’s team rejected the demands and gave alternate suggestions.

Sources say that US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the negotiating teams of both the
parties to “end the deadlock of the negotiations.

The peace negotiations between the two teams commenced on September 12, however, direct talks
have not started because of disagreement on procedural rules of the negotiations.

Khalilzad landed in Doha two weeks ago but not to mediate between the two sides but for the
purpose of implementing the US-Taliban peace agreements and to assist in attempts to reduce
violence.