US, Afghan govt to open peace talks with Taliban

US : US envoys will launch talks this week with the Taliban, officials announced Tuesday, in a tentative first step towards finding a negotiated escape from the decade-long Afghan war. The chance to start a dialog came as the Islamist insurgent group opened a political office in the Qatari capital Doha to act as an embassy to its foes in Washington and President Hamid Karzai's Afghan administration.

It also coincided with NATO's formal transfer of responsibility for Afghan security to Karzai's forces. The US-led international combat mission is due to wind down next year, with Afghanistan still in the grip of fighting. But the dramatic announcements were marred hours later by yet more violence, with four Americans killed by insurgent fire at the sprawling Bagram air base, north of Kabul, military officers said.

The Taliban had broken off contact with the Americans last year and had refused to negotiate with the government in Kabul. But spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP the office was intended “to open dialog between the Taliban and the world”.

AFP