The Afghan government has decided to form a technical group to formulate the republic positions and views for the next round of the intra-Afghan talks with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, Tolonews reported.

The decision was taken in the two-day leadership council of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) on Monday. The technical group will consist of members from the Afghan negotiation team and some members of the leadership council of the HCNR, said Fraizon Khwazoon.

“We need consensus both within and outside Afghanistan,” Ahmad Wali Masood, the head of Massoud Foundation, was quoted by TOLOnews. Other members also expressed the need for consensus building.

The next round of the intra-Afghan talks is expected to start from 5 January next year. Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the HCNR also made it clear, the talks will not be delayed for any reason.

For the government, the issue of ceasefire will be the top priority among other issues. The level of violence hasn’t gone down in the country despite the Afghan sides engaging in intra-Afghan talks for three months in a bid to find a political solution to end the decades-old conflict in the country.

Both sides took a 23-day break from the talks to consult their respective leadership. Prior to the break, both sides had exchanged the draft of the agenda items for the next round of talks. 

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday criticized the targeted killings, terming them “attacks on the new generation.”