US welcomes Afghan-Taliban talks: White House

White House spokesperson says this is an important step toward advancing prospects for a credible peace

WASHINGTON: The United States said on Tuesday that it welcomes talks between the Afghan government and Taliban.

White House spokesperson Josh Earnest, after Afghanistan announced it had sent a peace delegation to Pakistan for talks, said that "This is an important step toward advancing prospects for a credible peace."

The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday on an unannounced visit for talks with Afghan Taliban, Express News reported.

The Express Tribune has learnt the Afghan deputy foreign minister is leading a nine-member team for ‘talks with the Afghan Taliban.’

Though, the Afghan Presidential Palace in Kabul confirmed that a four-member delegation of the High Peace Council was visiting Islamabad for talks with the Taliban.

In Oslo, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed the hope that the talks would have some positive outcome which would be helpful for peace and stability in Afghanistan.