Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director of the United States William Burns has met Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul on Monday, according to an unnamed US official.
US President Joe Biden sent the head of the CIA to meet the Taliban's leader in the highest-level diplomatic encounter since the takeover in Afghanistan, reports Reuters citing Washington Post.
The Biden administration started evacuating US citizens and other allies amid chaos at Kabul airport ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline.
A CIA representative said the agency had no comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
NBC News also reported that Burns and Baradar met, citing a senior diplomat in the region and another source familiar with the matter. Fox News also reported the meeting, citing one unnamed US official.
Biden last week said that US troops may stay in Afghanistan past the deadline next week in order to evacuate Americans.
On Monday, two Taliban sources told Reuters it would not extend the deadline for Western forces to leave.