The Trump administration’s decision to call off peace talks in Afghanistan will lead directly to more American deaths, the Taliban warned late Sunday in a shocking message that promised new, deadly attacks.
The brazen threat came just over 24 hours after President Trump said he canceled a planned Camp David meeting with leaders from the Taliban and the U.S.-backed Afghan government in Kabul. The meeting presumably would’ve been the culmination of a year of negotiations with the Taliban aimed at finally forging peace in Afghanistan and bringing to an end America’s 18-year war in the country.
But Mr. Trump abruptly canceled the meeting late Saturday night, citing a string of recent Taliban attacks that killed four U.S. service members and scores of civilians over the past three weeks.
That decision, the Taliban said, will have grave consequences.
“This will lead to more losses to the U.S.,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, Reuters reported. “Its credibility will be affected, its anti-peace stance will be exposed to the world, losses to lives and assets will increase.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the administration was recalling its Afghan envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad. Mr. Khalilzad has held numerous in-person meetings with the Taliban in the hopes of securing a landmark peace agreement.
Afghan officials also said over the weekend they do not believe peace talks will continue “at this stage.”
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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