Kabul: US President Donald Trump's decision to cancel Afghan peace talks will cost more American lives, the Taliban warns.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad at the US Institute of Peace.Credit:AP

Meanwhile the United States has promised to keep up military pressure on the militants in a stunning reversal of efforts to forge a deal ending nearly 20 years of war in Afghanistan.

The Islamist group issued a statement after Trump unexpectedly cancelled secret talks planned for Sunday with the Taliban's major leaders at the presidential compound in Camp David, Maryland.

He broke off the talks on Saturday after the Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack in Kabul last week that killed an American soldier and 11 others.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid criticised Trump for calling off the dialogue and said US forces have been pounding Afghanistan with attacks at the same time.

"This will lead to more losses to the US," he said.

"Its credibility will be affected, its anti-peace stance will be exposed to the world, losses to lives and assets will increase."

In Washington, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Afghan peace talks were on hold.

Washington would not reduce US military support for Afghan troops until it was convinced the Taliban could follow through on significant commitments, Pompeo added.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.Credit:Edwina Pickles

The United States has recalled US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to chart the path forward, Pompeo said in appearances on Sunday TV news shows.

Asked on Fox News Sunday whether Afghan talks were dead, Pompeo said, "For the time being they are".

US and Taliban negotiators struck a draft peace deal last week that could have led to a drawdown of troops from America's longest war.

There are currently 14,000 US forces as well as thousands of other NATO troops in the country, 18 years after its invasion by a US-led coalition following the September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda attacks on the United States.

Fighting in Afghanistan has continued amid the talks and recent assaults by the Taliban cast doubts over the draft deal.

As violence has escalated, Afghan leaders including President Ashraf Ghani have been increasingly critical of the deal and encouraged the Taliban to enter direct talks.

Asked whether the collapse of talks put a US troop pullout on hold as well, Pompeo said the issue would be discussed.

"The president hasn't yet made a decision on that," he said.

Reuters

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