As the summer fighting season approaches, the scale of war and violence continues to rise in Afghanistan. The latest figures show that at least 20 members of the Afghan security forces were killed and wounded in the past 24 hours in five provinces of the country.

Amidst new efforts by the US to expedite Afghanistan’s reconciliation process, officials on Tuesday confirmed that Russia is planning to host a meeting on the Afghan peace process within the next 9 days and that it will invite key political leaders for the event.

The Taliban are due to finalize consultations about the US-proposed draft peace plan, sources familiar with the group told TOLOnews. Meanwhile, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, who formerly served as ambassador to Pakistan during the Taliban regime, stated that the recent moves by the US indicate that Washington is serious about getting the Afghan peace process to succeed.

Members of a number of different political parties said Tuesday that under the new US plan for a transitional government, the Taliban has been offered a 50 percent stake in the system with the balance shared between politicians and government.

Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, the former first vice president, met with President Ashraf Ghani on Monday evening, for the first time in more than two and half years.

Members of a number of different political parties said Tuesday that under the new US plan for a transitional government, the Taliban has been offered a 50 percent stake in the system with the balance shared between politicians and government.

DOHA: Washington’s special envoy to Afghanistan met with the Taliban in Qatar, the insurgents said Saturday, as efforts intensify to revive a peace process faced with mounting violence and a US troop withdrawal deadline, foreign media reported.

Eight security force members were killed and six more were wounded in an attack by the Taliban in Nahr-e-Shahi district in Balkh province on Saturday night, the provincial police said. The police said that five Taliban were also killed and seven more were wounded in the fighting.

Amid new developments in the peace efforts, Afghanistan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib said negotiations with the Taliban will lead to a temporary peace, and he reiterated that achieving real peace requires addressing the regional and international dimensions of Afghanistan’s issue.

TOLOnews has seen a proposed draft plan for Afghan peace that was recently shared with political leaders and outlines a roadmap toward an end to the violence and a structure for a future government.