KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left open on Saturday the possibilityfor talks with militants who accept peace but said the door was closed tothose who cause tragedies like recent attacks in the capital, Kabul.

An attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul on Jan. 20 and a suicidebombing on a crowded city street a week later have stoked public anger andstepped up pressure on Ghani’s Western-backed government to improvesecurity.

The attacks, which killed more than 130 people and were claimed by theTaliban, have also raised fresh doubt about long-running efforts toinitiate talks with the insurgents.

The president’s office said on Tuesday the militants had crossed a “redline” and peace would have to be won on the battle field.

But Ghani raised the possibility of reconciliation with some militants in aspeech to Islamic clerics in Kabul.

“Those who are responsible for this tragedy and do not want peace, the doorof peace is closed to them,” Ghani said.

“Those who accept peace, they will witness that the nation will embracethem. But there is a clear difference, our commitment to bringing peacedoes not mean we will sit quietly and won’t retaliate.”

“We will dig them out from any hiding holes.”

Afghanistan’s government has made such vows for years but the insurgencyappears ever more resilient. Peace efforts have been made in fits andstarts but without progress.

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to dash any hope for peace efforts onMonday when he condemned the Taliban for the Kabul violence and rejectedthe idea of talks.

Trump last year ordered an increase in U.S. troops, air strikes and otherassistance to Afghan forces, to force the Taliban to negotiate.

But his comments on Monday suggested he saw a military victory over theTaliban, an outcome that U.S. military and diplomatic officials said couldnot be achieved with the resources and manpower he had authorized.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said in Kabul on Tuesday theU.S. strategy had not changed and the aim was still to press the Talibanmilitarily to convince them that they had to negotiate.

The Taliban are fighting to drive out foreign troops and re-establish theirform of strict Islamic law.

Afghanistan has long accused neighboring Pakistan of failing to act againstTaliban plotting violence from safe havens on the Pakistani side of theborder.

On Friday, Ghani accused Pakistan of being the “Taliban center” and said hewas waiting for Pakistani action.

Pakistan denies helping the Taliban and a Pakistani delegation led byForeign Secretary Tehmina Janjua visited Kabul on Saturday with the aim offostering cooperation. Janjua called for both sides to stop the “blamegame”, Pakistani media reported.

The United States said last month it would cut security aid to Pakistan,complaining it was not doing enough to fight militants sheltering there.