Taliban meet US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for first time since ‘dead’ deal

The Taliban delegation led by Mullah Baradar - one of its more powerful members - arrived separately in the Pakistani capital for meetings with government officials they said were being held to discuss a wide range of political issues.

US officials however have been keen to say there is no resumption of peace talks, at least not now in Islamabad.

The Taliban met US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in the Pakistan capital for the first time since President Donald Trump declared a seemingly imminent peace deal to end Afghanistan’s 18-year war ‘dead’ a month ago, a Taliban official said early Saturday.