This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
On November 29, 2019, President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, sparking hopes of renewed negotiations with the Taliban. However, the Islamist group's official spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, was quick to temper expectations, stating that it was "way too early" to speak of resuming talks with Washington.
Trump's visit came a day after he suggested that negotiations to end America's longest war were back on track. The US President told reporters at Bagram Airfield that the Taliban "wants to make a deal," and that the US was seeking a ceasefire as a condition for talks.
Trump's comments were seen as a positive development, following his shock decision in September to end negotiations with the Taliban. The US had been on the verge of signing a deal with the insurgents that would have seen the US begin pulling troops out of Afghanistan in return for security guarantees.
However, the Taliban's official reaction to Trump's visit was cautious, with Mujahid stating that the group would give its official reaction later. The statement suggests that the Taliban is not yet ready to commit to resuming talks with the US.
