US spl envoy in Pakistan for Taliban talks

ISLAMABAD, Dec 04 (AP): The US special envoy tasked with finding a negotiated end to Afghanistan's 17-year old war has arrived in Islamabad for meeting with the country's political and military leadership about bringing the Taliban to peace talks.

Tuesday's visit comes a day after the President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking his cooperation.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will also travel to Afghanistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in a stepped-up effort to find a peaceful end to the Afghan war.

The United States and Afghanistan have long accused Pakistan of turning a blind eye to the Taliban, whose leadership is based in Pakistan.

Islamabad says it has little influence on the Taliban but it will play role for peace in Afghanistan.