Taliban says they discussed normalizing relations with US envoys

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban said they discussed normalizing relations between Afghanistan and the United States in a meeting with Trump administration officials Saturday.

The White House did not issue a statement describing the meeting or immediately respond to a request for comment. The Taliban statement said the regime’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with President Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler, and with another U.S. envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad,.

The Taliban released photographs from their talks.

“Comprehensive discussions were held on ways to develop bilateral relations between the two countries, issues related to citizens, and investment opportunities in Afghanistan,” the statement said.

The statement added that the U.S. delegation also expressed condolences over the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan late last month.

The meeting came after the Taliban released U.S. citizen George Glezmann, who was abducted while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist. He was the third detainee freed by the Taliban since Trump took office. It also came after the Taliban sharply criticized Trump’s new travel ban that bars Afghans from entering the United States.