Afghanistan... The two negotiating delegations meet in Doha and the Taliban declares control of 90% of the borders

An Afghan government source confirmed that the two Afghan negotiating delegations met in Doha, and they will meet again within days and discuss a ceasefire.

For its part, the Taliban confirmed that the movement now controls 90% of the Afghan border with neighboring countries.

The Afghan government source added to Al Jazeera that the two delegations stressed, during their meeting in Doha, the continuation and acceleration of negotiations, and they also discussed the agenda of the next session, and the identification of issues to be discussed.

He said that the next meeting of the Afghan negotiating delegations in Doha will be held within days.

He explained that the meeting will discuss the cease-fire.

For his part, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the movement now controls 90% of the Afghan border with neighboring countries.

The Taliban spokesman added, in a statement to the Russian Sputnik news agency, that the Taliban fighters control the entire Afghan-Tajik border.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani arrived in Jalalabad, to assess the security and field situation in the eastern provinces.

He will meet with officials, tribal leaders, and civil society representatives.

The US embassy in Kabul called on the Taliban and all parties to immediately cease violence, agree to a ceasefire, and engage in negotiations that end the suffering of Afghans, pave the way for lasting peace, and ensure that Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorists again, according to a statement by the embassy.

scattered battles

On the ground, the Afghan Ministry of Interior announced the killing of 7 Taliban and wounding 13 others in an operation by Afghan forces with the support of the Air Force in Helmand Province, while the Taliban confirmed that their forces had taken control of the strategic Al-Marjah area in the state.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said - through his official account on Twitter - that the Afghan forces fled the area and the police headquarters, and that the movement seized a large number of weapons, cars and ammunition.

In a related context, a government source told Al-Jazeera that Taliban militants had taken control of the headquarters of the "Ghaziabad" district, in Kunar province, eastern Afghanistan, which is the first district controlled by the movement in the east of the country.