World | Afghanistan Taliban Breaks al-Qaeda Ties, Talks Peace: Report Afghans deny secret Saudi-backed dialogue By Kevin Spak Posted Oct 6, 2008 10:52 AM CDT Copied Afghan President Hamid Karzai, right, speaks to Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Alsaud in Kabul, Afghanistan, in this March 18, 2008, file photo. (AP Photo) The Taliban has broken all ties with al-Qaeda and engaged in peace talks with the Afghan government, CNN reports. The talks, held from Sept. 24-27 in Saudi Arabia, mark the first attempt to negotiate an end to the war in Afghanistan. But both Afghan and Taliban spokesmen are denying the report, though Kabul says it’s interested in such a dialogue. The Taliban spokesman called the news “totally untrue,” while the Afghan spokesman told AFP “how, when and where, by what mechanism and with whose help—we are working on that.” CNN quotes a Saudi source as saying that not only have talks taken place, but that a second round is scheduled in 2 months. Read These Next President Trump accuses six Democrats of 'seditious behavior.' He was an Olympian. Now he's the FBI's most wanted. Disturbing turn of events in case of a teen found dead on a cruise. Driver kills 3, then asks, 'Why should I apologize?' Report an error