Taliban denies talks with UN

The Taliban denies it has had a meeting with the outgoing UN envoy to Afghanistan.

This after reports this week that Kai Eide met militants in Dubai on January 8.

He has denied a meeting took place on that date but has not commented on whether a meeting might have taken place on another date.

The Taliban describes the reports as futile and baseless rumours.

Possible reconciliation with the Taliban is the focus of new international efforts to try to achieve peace in Afghanistan.

At a conference in London this week, President Hamid Karzai repeated an invitation to Taliban leaders to attend a peace council.

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