Taliban says Trump's decision to nix peace talks will 'lead to more losses' for the U.S.

The Taliban responded Sunday to President Trump's decision to cancel Afghan peace talks following the death of a U.S. soldier and 11 others in a recent attack in Afghanistan for which the Taliban claimed responsibility, Reuters reports.

The Islamist group issued a statement after Trump backed out of a reportedly secret meeting between Washington and the Taliban that was apparently scheduled to take place Sunday at Camp David. "This will lead to more losses to the U.S.," Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said. "Its credibility will be affected, it's anti-peace stance will be exposed to the world, losses to lives and assets will increase."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the talks are now on hold and the U.S. will maintain troops in Afghanistan and continue to pressure the Taliban militarily there for the time being. It looked like the two sides were getting close to a real agreement that would have led to the withdrawal of American troops, but that's looking increasingly unlikely now. Read more at Reuters.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up