Karzai confirms US in contact with Taliban

The Taliban officially say they will only negotiate once foreign troops leave Afghanistan

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that the US is engaged in talks with the Taliban about a possible peace settlement to the nearly decade-long war in his country.

President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that the US and other powers are in talks with the Taliban over a possible political settlement in Afghanistan. It is the first high-level official confirmation of US involvement in negotiations after nearly ten years of war.

"In the course of this year, there have been peace talks with the Taliban and our own countrymen," Karzai told a news conference in Kabul. "Peace talks have started with them already and it is going well. Foreign militaries, especially the United States of America, are going ahead with these negotiations."

"The peace negotiations between (the) Afghan government and the Taliban movement are not yet based on a certain agenda or physical (meetings), there are contacts established," he added. 

Read the rest on: Deutsche Welle