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| The Taliban are active in both Afghanistan and Pakistan |
The hardline Islamic Taliban movement has proved to be a formidable fighting force in Afghanistan and a major threat to its government.
The Taliban also threatens to destabilise Pakistan, where they control areas in the north-west and have been blamed for a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks.
Many observers now believe that future peace in Afghanistan can only come if the government in Kabul negotiates with the Taliban.
The announcement of Taliban plans to open an office in Qatar is seen as a positive step in those negotiations, but mistrust on both sides remains high.
There has also been speculation that some of the Taliban-linked groups in Pakistan have held talks with the government in Islamabad - although this is not confirmed.
Who are the Taliban?
