A negotiating team from Taliban arrived Friday in Russia, a representative told Associated Press, just days after US President Donald Trump declared de a deal with insurgent group in Afghanistan. Russian state news ncy Tass cited Taliban's Qatar-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as saying delegation h held consultations with Zamir Kabulov, President Vlimir Putin's envoy for Afghanistan. visit was confirmed to AP by a Taliban official who spoke on condition of anymity because he was t authorized to talk to reporters. Interfax news ncy cited an unidentified Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying meeting Russia underlined necessity of renewing talks between US and Taliban.

Taliban visits Moscow for talks 

Taliban confirmed ir reiness to continuing dialogue with Washington. It was Taliban's first international visit following collapse of talks with Washington. team was being led by Mullah Sher Mohamm Stanikzai. In a weekend tweet, Trump h called off negotiations and canceled a meeting he said he wanted to have with Afghan government leers and Taliban at Camp David presidential retreat. Shaheen told Taliban's official website on Tuesday that group was still communicating with US negotiators, at least to find out what to do next.

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Taliban and Trump meeting at Camp David

Taliban shura, or leership council, opposed its negotiators going to Camp David. It monished those who h accepted US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilz's invitation that was extended at end of August. Shaheen was quoted on website as saying Camp David visit was delayed, saying Taliban wanted agreement signed and witnessed by foreign ministers of several countries, including Russia. He said Taliban also wanted Qatar to anunce agreement before any Camp David meeting.

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Taliban and Russia

Moscow has been accused of aiding Taliban as a safeguard against a burgeoning Islamic State affiliate that has close ties to Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, a militant group in Central Asia. Russia has stepped up its defenses in Central Asia and has claimed thousands of IS fighters were in rrn Afghanistan. Moscow has twice this year hosted meetings between Taliban and prominent Afghan personalities. While Washington has been seeking an exit to its longest war, Taliban are at ir strongest since ir ouster in 2001 and hold sway over more than half country, staging near-daily, dely attacks across Afghanistan.

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US-Taliban talks

Khalilz's year-long peace mission has been Washington's most dedicated push for peace, focusing t just on Taliban. Afghanistan's government and prominent Afghan powerbrokers but also on Pakistan and Russia, as well as Iran, which has trained Afghan fighters kwn as Fatimayoun Brige that fought alongside Iran's Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Khalilz has focused his efforts on regional players almost as much as on Taliban and Afghan government interlocutors. Earlier this year, US released a statement signed by US, China and Russia supporting Khalilz's peace efforts that called t just for an agreement on US and NATO troop withdrawal and Taliban anti-terrorism guarantees but also a promise for intra-Afghan talks in which Afghans would decide fate of ir country as well as terms of a cease-fire.

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