Elements of the Taliban are open to talks with the Afghan government, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday as he arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit. Mattis flew into the war-torn city two weeks after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban. “It’s all working to achieve a political reconciliation, not a military victory,” Mattis said. Ghani’s offer of peace talks comes as civilian casualties have soared in recent months, with the Taliban increasingly targeting towns and cities in response to Trump’s new and more aggressive military policy. Mattis also said he had seen some changes in Pakistan’s behaviour since Trump blasted the country last year for harbouring the Taliban.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 13, 2018 07:07 UTC