Mattis sees positive signs for peace talks in Afghanistan

AFP

ALASKA -- There are encouraging signs in Afghanistan for talks between the government and the Taliban, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said Sunday (June 24).

He pointed to the Taliban's acceptance of a three-day ceasefire offered recently by President Ashraf Ghani.

"Clearly Ghani has hit a responsive chord," Mattis said in Alaska.

"Not just on the Afghan national government side, but also it cut deep into the Taliban. We'll see how this goes forward."

During the unprecedented ceasefire, combatants on both sides of the conflict expressed hopes it would continue.

But the sight of its fighters openly mingling with security forces and civilians appeared to alarm the Taliban's leaders, who ordered their men back to their posts.

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