The US President was scheduled to enter peace negotiations seeking to cease America’s 18-year war in Afghanistan.
Donald Trump has called off surprise peace talks with Taliban officials upon learning that the militants were behind an attack that resulted in the death of a US soldier.
The US President has claimed that “major Taliban leaders” were due to meet with him in secret on American soil on Sunday, but he scrapped the meeting at the last minute.
Taking to Twitter, Trump issued a statement noting that the Taliban claimed responsibility for a car bombing that was carried out in Kabul on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of 12 people including a US soldier.
“Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday,” Trump’s statement began.
“They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great, great soldiers and 11 other people.
“I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations,” Trump continued.
“What kind of people would kill so many in order to seemingly strengthen their bargaining position? They didn’t, they only made it worse.
“If they cannot agree to a ceasefire during these very important peace talks, and would even kill 12 innocent people, then they probably don’t have the power to negotiate a meaningful agreement anyway.
“How many more decades are they willing to fight?” Trump concluded.
A source from the Taliban’s political office in Doha told BBC News that the group is set to hold an “urgent internal meeting” following Trump’s shutdown.
One of Trump’s pledges during his 2016 election campaign was to bring an end to the war in Afghanistan.
The talks, were they to occur, would have represented a significant diplomatic move on behalf of his administration, particularly with the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks just days away.
Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday. They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 7, 2019
….only made it worse! If they cannot agree to a ceasefire during these very important peace talks, and would even kill 12 innocent people, then they probably don’t have the power to negotiate a meaningful agreement anyway. How many more decades are they willing to fight?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 7, 2019
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