(CNN) A US delegation is scheduled to meet "senior Taliban representatives from Kabul" in Doha, Qatar, this weekend an official from the State Department official said ahead of the event -- the first time such a gathering has been held since the end of US withdraw from Afghanistan towards the at the end of the month of August.
"This meeting is a continuation of practical engagements with the Taliban regarding issues of US essential national security," the official told CNN .
Taliban representative Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters on Saturdaythat "We have had a lengthy meeting with American group in Doha the last day, and the conversation will continue throughout this morning and into the next day too."
"During this conference, there was discussion regarding the humanitarian aid in addition to the humanitarian assistance, and this conversation will go on," Mujahid said.
The meeting takes place just as the US government is working to remove American permanent residents, citizens as well as vulnerable Afghans out of Afghanistan almost seven weeks following the chaos and rush of the US army evacuationcame towards the end and is looking to the future for the capabilities needed to stop a return of militant organizations in Afghanistan.
A State Department official said that "the continuing safe departure into Afghanistan by US or other international citizens, as well as Afghans with whom we have an exclusive commitment to quit Afghanistan" is one of the top goals of the meeting, that was first published in Reuters.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price announced in a briefing on Thursday that the agency was in contact to "dozens of Americans living in Afghanistan who want to depart," but he added that it was not possible to determine a precise figure of US citizens who are still. The spokesperson said that the US administration has helped facilitate the removal of more than 105 US citizens as well as 95 legal permanent residents of Afghanistan from August 31 at which point all US troops and personnel were removed from Afghanistan.
At the Doha meeting in Doha, the US will be focusing on "holding an accountable Taliban to its pledge not to permit terrorists to make use of Afghan land to threaten our security United States or its allies," the official said earlier in the week.
CIA Director David Cohen David Cohen would be included in the US delegation according to a source prior to the start of the meeting. It reflects the US determination to fight terrorism.
the Deputy Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Tom West is the senior State Department representative in the US delegation, according to an official from the State Department official, who said the delegation includes members of The US Agency for International Development and other organizations. A source close to USAID said that the agency's most senior Humanitarian official Sarah Charles, was scheduled to be in the group.
Special Representative for Reconciliation with Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad who helped broker the March 2020 agreement in conjunction with Taliban which has been attacked in the past by Biden Administration officials won't be attending.
According to a State Department official, the US also hoped to force to force the Taliban "to recognize the human rights and dignity of all Afghans including girls and women, and to form an inclusive government with wide support."
"As Afghanistan faces the prospect of a major economic contraction and a possible humanitarian crisis we will also pressure the Taliban to let humanitarian agencies the right to access areas in necessity," The official added.
After the Taliban have taken over the country the Taliban are accused of grave human rights violations, including the illegal killing of 13 minorities Shia Hazaras. Afghanistan's health system has been shattered and there are severe food shortages.
The official informed CNN they were meeting Taliban representative "is not about giving legitimacy or recognition."
"We are clear that any legitimacy should be gained through the Taliban's behavior," they said.
Mujahid said on Saturday: "Our aim is to meet with the Americans as well as with European representatives in the days ahead in order to discuss and hear their opinions and suggestions on how to improve the situation currently on the ground in Afghanistan."
"We have repeatedly told them again and time again that a weak and unstable administration in Afghanistan is in the best interests of any person," he said.
This story was updated with new information on Saturday.
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