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The U.S. envoy leading the talks with the Taliban says the negotiations have been put on hold until this weekend.

Zalmay Khalilzad wrote on Twitter on Thursday that "both sides will take the next two days for internal deliberations, with plans to regroup on Saturday."

Khalilzad described the last three days of talks as "solid" and "productive."

He added: "We continue to take slow, steady steps toward understanding and eventually #peace."

Khalilzad has been trying to negotiate a resolution of the 17-year war in Afghanistan, America's longest.

The Taliban, who harbored al-Qaida and its leader Osama bin Laden, ruled Afghanistan before the 2001 U.S.-led invasion after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The Taliban have made a major comeback in recent years. Today, they carry out near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces.