U.S. official says no U.S. talks with Taliban in Qatar

Afghan youths sit on the roof of a car as they pass a picture of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on a street in Kabul February 19, 2015. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. official said on Thursday the United States is not holding talks with Afghanistan's Taliban leaders in Qatar. Sources in the Afghan Taliban said their negotiators would hold a first round of talks with U.S. officials on Thursday. The U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said reports of meetings were "not true." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Bill Trott)