In an unusual move, the Afghan Taliban issued a letter Wednesday addressing directly the "American people" and urging them to put pressure on their government to withdraw from conflict-stricken Afghanistan. The letter was addressed to "the American people, officials of independent non-governmental organizations and the peace loving Congressmen." [...]

"This letter is a unique move by the Taliban. It is the first time the group has expressed its willingness to engage in peace talks and has called on the people of the United States to push their government to work on a mechanism for peace with the Taliban," said Faiz Mohammad Zaland, a Kabul University lecturer and an expert on the Taliban. [...]

Observers in Afghanistan see the latest move by the Taliban as a reaction to increased US airstrikes against the group and pressure on Pakistan to take action against extremist outfits operating from its soil. "The Taliban are aiming to ease the pressure on Pakistan and buy time against the US airstrikes in Afghanistan," Yonus Fakur, a Kabul-based political analyst, told DW.