Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed Sunday to meet US and Chinese officials next month in a bid to prepare the ground for fresh peace talks with the Taliban, officials said, despite growing militant violence. The announcement came as army chief General Raheel Sharif visited Kabul for a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. Pakistan hosted a milestone first round of talks in July but the negotiations stalled when the Taliban belatedly confirmed the death of longtime leader Mullah Omar.

Ghani has recently pushed to strengthen ties with Pakistan - the Taliban's historic backers - in a desperate bid to restart the talks as the insurgency expands.

"Both sides agreed that the first round of dialogue between Afghanistan, Pakistan, US and China will be held in January to layout a comprehensive roadmap for peace," the Afghan presidential palace said in a statement.

Asim Bajwa, a military spokesman, said on Twitter that the talks will be held in the first week of January but did not disclose the venue.

There was no immediate reaction from the Taliban, who have recently stepped up attacks on government and foreign targets.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2015