In a published letter intended for the American people, the Taliban terrorist group expressed a want for negotiated peace talks and asked for the American public and “peace-loving congressmen” to put pressure on the Trump Administration for negotiations, the Associated Press reported.
The letter, released by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, addressed some of the changes the terrorists would make as part of the negotiations, including reformed education and inclusive rights in their regime.
“Our preference is to solve the Afghan issue through peaceful dialogue,” the letter read. “America must end her occupation [in Afghanistan] and must accept all our legitimate rights, including the right to form a government consistent with the beliefs of our people.”
The United States has on several occasions refused to negotiate with the Taliban, telling the organization to have peace negotiations with the Afghan government.
The letter cites the “3,546 American and foreign soldiers” killed and massive rise in heroin production from the Taliban in 2017. Afghanistan is the word’s largest producer of opium, which is the raw material used in heroin.
They also reminded the U.S. in the letter that “trillions of dollars” have been spent in the 17-year Afghan war.
The United States has been ramping up its fight with the Taliban in Afghanistan following the successes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Several thousand more troops have been sent to the country over the past several months to bolster Afghan forces in the fight against the Taliban.
