Rex Tillerson visits Afghanistan to discuss peace and the Taliban - DW

The secretary of state made a short visit to Afghanistan to discuss the new US policy in South Asia. He told Afghan leaders he was open to peace with the Taliban if they accepted military defeat.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday to meet with Afghan leaders and reaffirm support for stability.

Tillerson met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah to discuss the new US strategy for Afghanistan and south Asia.

"The US has made clear ... (its) support (for) a sovereign unified Afghanistan, a democratic Afghanistan, of charting a path to peace, prosperity and self-reliance," Tillerson told reporters. "It is imperative in the end that we are denying safe haven to any terrorist organizations or any extremists to any part of this world."

Tillerson said the US would continue to wage war against the Taliban, but that it was willing to work with the group. -  More

Rex Tillerson visits Afghanistan to discuss peace and the Taliban - DW