The talks, set to last three days, will cover human rights and the humanitarian crisis in the country. The UN says 95 per cent of Afghans do not have enough to eat. A number of protests have taken place in Europe with critics claiming the Taliban should not be rewarded with the meetings. One feminist activist, Jamila Afghani, told that the negotiators showed "goodwill".

The group are set to request access to billions of dollars that are frozen in US banks. Afghanistan has seen unemployment and food prices soar, whilst the value of its currency is plummeting and banks have set limits on cash withdrawals.