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US, Taliban to discuss releasing frozen Afghan funds after earthquake

Officials say the US and the Taliban will hold discussions in Qatar on Thursday about unfreezing part of Afghanistan's reserves in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, especially after Washington allocated half of the frozen sum to 9/11 victims' families, which Taliban at the time slammed as theft and moral decline of the US.

According to The New York Times, the intricate strategy is intended to address a slew of legal blockages originating from the September 11 attacks and the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The White House claimed it is working "urgently" on the endeavor, but an Afghan central bank board member indicated it could take some time to complete.

The Taliban's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has arrived in the Qatari capital of Doha for talks, according to Taliban Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmed.

The State Department said its ambassador to Afghanistan, Tom West, would participate, and said the US was interested in a variety of issues, including human rights and opening schools for girls.

Frozen funds

At the time, Washington froze $7 billion in reserves, while the international community suspended billions in direct help that Afghanistan and its 40 million people had relied on.