KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban officials say they held "general discussions" with Washington's special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is tasked with finding a negotiated end to Afghanistan's protracted and increasingly bloody war.

The officials, who spoke to the Associated Press on Saturday on condition they not be identified because of the sensitivity of the process, said the meetings were held Friday in the Middle Eastern State of Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office.

The Taliban offered no details on the talks and the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said only that Khalilzad was in the Afghan capital Saturday meeting with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

Khalilzad arrived in Kabul from Qatar, winding up his first official trip since being named special envoy. He also visited Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.