Taliban ‘open to peace talks’

ELEMENTS of the Taliban are open to talks with the Afghan government, the US defence secretary has said.

Arriving in Kabul on an unannounced visit, Jim Mattis said the whole insurgent group may not agree ‘in one fell swoop’.

And after 16 years of conflict in Afghanistan, he conceded victory there would be ‘political reconciliation’ rather than military triumph.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban two weeks ago.