KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad held on Saturday the first official talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban since President Donald Trump declared a near-certain peace deal with the insurgents dead in September.
A U.S. statement said talks will initially focus on getting a Taliban promise to reduce violence with a permanent cease-fire being the eventual goal.
Khalilzad has spoken about including in the negotiations all sides in the conflict.
Taliban have so far refused direct talks with the Afghan government.