US Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth held talks in Islambad on January 20 with a high-level delegation from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, Afghan sources said.

Former Taliban information minister Mullah Amir Khan Mutaqqi led the Taliban side at the talks which lasted for about two hours.

Other sources disclosed that the talks focused on the issue of Osama bin Laden, the alleged terrorist who stays in Afghanistan.

Washington has been putting pressure on the Taliban militia to hand over the Saudi national for trial for alleged connection withthe bombing of the US embassies in East Africa in August 1998.

Inderfuth arrived in Islamabad Thursday on a two-day visit hereand he is expected to meet Pakistan's Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf.