Trump calls off peace talks with Taliban leaders after Kabul attack

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday tweeted that secret meetings that were to be held at Camp David with Taliban leaders and the Afghan president on Sunday had been cancelled following a bombing in Kabul last week.

“They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great great soldiers, and 11 other people,” Trump tweeted about the Taliban.

“I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations,” the US president said.

Kabul has been gripped by a surge in deadly violence even after the US and the insurgents reached an agreement “in principle” that would see the US pull thousands of troops from Afghanistan in return for various Taliban security promises.