Kabul, Oct 27 (IANS): Four negotiators representing the Afghan government in the Doha peace talks with the Taliban have returned to Kabul amid a delay in direct discussions between the two sides, sources said.

The sources told TOLO News on Monday that Saadat Mansoor Naderi, Fawzia Koofi, Matin Beg and Kalimullah Naqibi have returned to the country citing personal matters.

The negotiations in Doha have faced delays over two disputed points: the religious basis for the talks and the authority of the US-Taliban deal as the "mother deal" underlying the current negotiations.

The sources said the two sides have agreed to allow Qatar to play a role as mediator to break the impasse over the disputed points.

So far, there has been at least 10 meetings at the contact groups level over the last 40 days, but have not reached an agreement to begin the direct talks, which have been called a historic opportunity for Afghanistan to end the decades of war and bloodshed, TOLO News reported.

But the return of the four delegates has created renewed doubts among analysts about the future of the negotiations.