Conflict in Afghanistan: US resumes talks with the Taliban

Less than a week after US President Donald Trump's visit to Afghanistan, the US government resumes talks with the militant Islamist Taliban. Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, will meet with government officials in Kabul this week to discuss how the peace talks could regain momentum, the US State Department said. Following this, he will travel to Doha to meet representatives of the Taliban.

Khalilzad, who arrived in Kabul on Wednesday, said in talks in the Emirate of Qatar "steps are being taken that will lead to Afghan-Afghan negotiations and a peaceful solution to the war, in particular a reduction in violence leading to a ceasefire," it said ,

Trump had announced the resumption of peace negotiations during his visit to US soldiers in Afghanistan late last week. He spoke of a truce as a precondition - which the Taliban have rejected so far. The militia had reacted reluctantly to the announcement last week.

Prisoner exchange should smooth the waves

For more than a year, the US had negotiated with the Taliban until the US President unexpectedly canceled talks in early September. At that time, it was said that they were on the verge of reaching an agreement that would pave the way for US troops to withdraw and for peace in Afghanistan. In the months before, however, the violence in the country had escalated. There are currently about 13,000 US soldiers stationed there.

Recently, the parties to the conflict in Afghanistan tried to bring movement into the talks by exchanging prisoners. The Taliban released a US citizen and an Australian, while the Afghan government released three high-ranking members of the militia.