Representatives of the collapsed Afghan Government and the Taliban were in the process of talks, says a spokesperson for former Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

“The talks are ongoing. In the first stage, it has been emphasized that the life and property of the people and public properties must be protected,’’ Yousuf Saha said.

No Taliban comment was available. It remained unclear when the talks would be and whether the Taliban was even interested in pursuing them.

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After Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan as the Taliban approached, it had been left to a coordinating council to organize a peaceful transfer of power to the Taliban.

That group included Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the high council for national reconciliation, and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former warlord.