{"id":65222,"date":"2018-05-31T03:18:36","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T03:18:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/31\/the-top-us-general-in-afghanistan-says-some-taliban-are-interested-in-peace\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:55:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:55:40","slug":"the-top-us-general-in-afghanistan-says-some-taliban-are-interested-in-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/05\/31\/the-top-us-general-in-afghanistan-says-some-taliban-are-interested-in-peace\/","title":{"rendered":"The top US general in Afghanistan says some Taliban are interested in peace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Some elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan<\/a> are showing interest in peace talks<\/a>, the top U.S. commander in Kabul said Wednesday, citing \u201coff stage\u201d contacts involving what he described as mid- and high-level leaders of the insurgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA number of channels of dialogue have opened up between the various stakeholders in the peace process,\u201d Gen. John Nicholson<\/a> told reporters at the Pentagon. Speaking from his office in Kabul, Nicholson said he could not name names because the contacts are being pursued confidentially to improve the chances of advancing toward actual peace talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you\u2019re seeing right now is a lot of the diplomatic activity and dialogue is occurring off the stage, and it\u2019s occurring at multiple levels,\u201d he said. \u201cSo you see mid-level, senior-level Taliban leaders engaging with Afghans.\u201d He added that unspecified international organizations, foreign governments and other interested parties also are involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\t