US defence secretary Jim Mattis landed in Kabul on Friday for an unannounced visit to war-torn Afghanistan, adding his weight to a flurry of diplomatic efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n
His trip comes a little more than a year after president Donald Trump unveiled a revamped strategy for Afghanistan that saw him commit thousands of additional US forces to the country on an open-ended basis.<\/p>\n
Mattis, on his second visit to the country in recent months, will meet with president Ashraf Ghani and the new US commander for American and NATO forces, general Scott Miller.<\/p>\n
The grinding conflict has seen little progress by Afghan or US forces against the Taliban, the country\u2019s largest militant group.<\/p>\n
Afghan and international players have been ratcheting up efforts to hold peace talks with the Taliban, which was toppled from power by US-led forces in 2001.<\/p>\n
An unprecedented ceasefire in June followed by talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Qatar in July fuelled hopes that negotiations could bring an end to the fighting.<\/p>\n
But a recent spate of attacks by the Taliban and the smaller but potent Islamic State group that left hundreds of security forces and civilians dead has severely dented that optimism.<\/p>\n
A twin bomb attack on a wrestling club in a Shiite neighbourhood of Kabul on Wednesday was just the latest in a long line of devastating assaults, killing at least 26 people and wounded 91.<\/p>\n
The attack underscored the challenges facing Afghanistan\u2019s beleaguered security forces that have been beset by corruption and low morale.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s strategy, announced in August 2017, increased the US troop presence in the country and now includes a renewed push to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n
But there are fears that Trump is growing frustrated with the pace of progress in the country, spurring US diplomats and other officials to intensify their efforts.<\/p>\n
The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with Washington and refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate.<\/p>\n
There is speculation that another meeting between US and Taliban representatives could be held this month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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