The United States envoy negotiating with the Taliban voiced regret on Thursday over findings that US-backed forces were killing more civilians than the militants, and said the solution was a peace deal.

A United Nations report released on Wednesday found that international and pro-government forces were responsible for the deaths of 305 civilians in the first three months of the year ─ the first time they were behind more killings than the Taliban since the US-led coalition toppled the extremists' regime in 2001.

"We deeply regret any loss of innocent life during military operations. We never target innocents," said Zalmay Khalilzad, the US negotiator who is set shortly to resume talks with the Taliban in Qatar on ending the war.

"War is treacherous, and unintended consequences are devastating. While we strive to prevent casualties, real solution is a ceasefire or reduced violence as we pursue lasting peace," he tweeted.

Khalilzad appealed to the Taliban and other Afghans to "work to make this the year of peace".

He struck a different tone than the spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, Colonel Dave Butler, who said the United States pursued "the highest standards of accuracy and accountability" and that troops "reserve the right of self-defence".

President Donald Trump is eager to find a negotiated way to pull out troops and end the longest-ever US war. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, with whom the Taliban refuse to negotiate, has called for next week a loya jirga, a traditional gathering of all the country's communities, although it is unclear how broad the attendance will be.

Opinion

Editorial

Deepening conflict
Updated 15 Jun, 2025

Deepening conflict

Some media reports say that the US had shipped hundreds of missiles to Israel before the attack on Iran.
Some strides
15 Jun, 2025

Some strides

THE PTI government in KP is not known for sound public service delivery in a province whose economy has been ...
Air India tragedy
15 Jun, 2025

Air India tragedy

THE black box of the ill-fated Air India flight AI171 has been recovered, and that should reveal in the coming days...
‘Declaration of war’
Updated 14 Jun, 2025

‘Declaration of war’

Israel's provocative behaviour has, once again, brought the Middle East to the precipice of a full-blown war.
A mixed bag
14 Jun, 2025

A mixed bag

SINDH’S Rs3.45tr budget for the next fiscal year seeks to combine populism with provincial tax reforms while also...
Water-starved city
14 Jun, 2025

Water-starved city

IT is an injustice that finds few parallels. Karachi, home to a burgeoning population of over 20m and the primary...