Afghan peace talks to resume on Saturday after 3 weeks

KABUL, Afghanistan

Representatives of the Afghan government and Taliban held a preparatory meeting in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday with both sides deciding to resume peace talks on Saturday.

Taliban spokesman Mohammed Naeem and an Afghan government representative, Nader Naderi, shared the breakthrough development after a three-week pause in a series of tweets.

"The second round of intra-Afghan talks started this evening during a preparatory meeting," said the text of the tweet posted by both sides in English, Pashto, Dari and Arabic languages.

Talks to discuss agenda topics will begin Saturday, it added.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's neighbor Pakistan welcomed the start of the second round of talks.

"We hope that the two negotiating teams would continue to engage with open-mind and will observe patience, prudence and perseverance to seize this historic opportunity for peace," said Pakistan's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

The talks are aimed at the ending the 19-year war in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of US troops from the country.