The latest round of talks between the
Taliban and the
United States on a deal to withdraw thousands of U.S. troops from
Afghanistan has ended and now both sides will consult with their leadership on the next steps, a Taliban spokesman said Monday.
The eighth round of talks in the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar concluded after midnight and was "long and useful," Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.
Last week, another Taliban spokesman had said a deal was expected to follow this round as both sides seek an end to the nearly 18-year war, America's longest conflict.