US notes Taliban 'interest' in peace talks

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says small groups of Taliban could be interested in talks to end the Afghanistan war which has raged for over 16 years.

The United States is picking up signs of interest from Taliban elements in exploring the possibility of talks to end the more than 16-year-old war, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says.

"There is interest that we've picked up from the Taliban side," Mattis told reporters shortly before landing in Kabul on Tuesday, saying the signs date back several months.

"We've had some groups of Taliban - small groups - who have either started to come over or expressed an interest in talking."