KABUL - The Taliban claimed on Saturday to have killed seven members of the US military in an attack on a convoy near Bagram airfield north of Kabul.
American officials dismissed the claims as "lies".
On the other hand, Washington is hoping to strike an agreement with the Taliban by September 1 — ahead of Afghan polls due the same month, and US presidential polls next year.
The Doha talks are being held against a backdrop of persistent violence in Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, two US soldiers were killed by small arms fire in Faryab province in northern Afghanistan, the Pentagon said.
Shaheen, the Taliban spokesman, had said the deaths should have a "positive" impact on the talks in Doha.