Representatives of the Taliban met a French delegation on Thursday in Qatar, for the first time since they took power in Afghanistan almost two weeks ago. The French foreign ministry confirmed talks with representatives of the Taliban in Kabul and Doha to ease France's ongoing evacuations from the Afghan capital.

A Taliban spokesperson said the group that met on August 26 included Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the deputy director of the Taliban's political office, and French envoy François Richier.

The Taliban spokesperson explained that "political issues and ongoing situation of Afghanistan came under discussion."

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An immigration desk will open on Monday in Paris to register asylum applications from Afghans evacuated from Kabul.

The news was announced on August 27 by the French office for immigration and integration, the body responsible for receiving people brought to France from Afghanistan. France has flown more than 2,500 Afghans from Kabul since it began evacuation operations earlier in the year.

France's European affairs minister said that the country will end its evacuation operation in Kabul "soon" but may seek to extend it until after Friday night. Clement Beaune told French radio station Europe 1 that France was continuing to pursue its operation to "evacuate the maximum number of people."

The French prime minister Jean Castex had previously said that France would end its evacuation flights from Afghanistan by the evening of August 27. Castex had conceded that from that point on, "it will no longer be possible to carry out such flights," ahead of the planned U.S. departure from Kabul airport next week.

However, the Europe minister said this plan had now been delayed due to Thursday's attacks near Kabul airport. Two explosions were reported after ISIS-K, the Afghanistan faction of the extremist group detonated a suicide bomb. At least 85 people were killed, including 13 U.S. troops and two UK citizens.

France has been moving people to Paris from Kabul via an airbase in the UAE. "The evacuation operation will continue until the departure of the last French soldier," said French military authorities.