US Defense Secretary Mattis arrives in Kabul on unannounced visit

US Defense Secretary James Mattis testifies about authorizations for the use of military force before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, US October 30, 2017. (Reuters)

KABUL: Elements of the Taliban are open to talks with the Afghan government, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday as he arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit.
“It may not be that the whole Taliban comes over in one fell swoop, that would be a bridge too far, but there are elements of the Taliban clearly interested in talking to the Afghan government,” Mattis told reporters aboard a military jet.