According to the United States Military, the country's most senior general met Taliban negotiators on Tuesday, to urge an immediate reduction in violence.

Gen. Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, met Taliban negotiators in Doha, before flying to Kabul to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

As violence and civil strife in Afghanistan have continued to escalate, senior officials from the United States Military, NATO and the Trump Administration have publicly warned that an increase in Taliban violence is actively endangering the peace negotiations.

The United States is drastically reducing the number of its troops in the country, with the Trump Administration planning to withdraw a vast majority of military personnel (down to 2500) prior to the Biden Administration's inauguration in January.

A military spokesperson stated that Gen. Milley had "discussed the need for an immediate reduction of violence and accelerate progress towards a negotiated political solution which contributes to regional stability and safeguards US national interests".

This was Gen. Milley's second unannounced meeting with the Taliban's negotiating team, according to Associated Press, following an initial meeting in June in Doha - with both meetings kept off the record until Thursday.