No breakthrough after weeks of US-Taliban talks, but progress could be made

The chief U.S. peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, was expected to fly back to Washington on Tuesday night to brief Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Zalmay Khalilzad, chief American envoy, at the United States Embassy. (Jim Huylebroek/The New York Times)

By Mujib Mashal

Although more than two weeks of talks between the United States and the Taliban ended Tuesday without a breakthrough, two U.S. officials said they were close to a final agreement on one crucial element to a framework for ending the long war: a Taliban promise to not allow terrorist attacks from Afghanistan.

The officials also said they had made substantial progress on a second element, detailing a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.