Updated

The top American commander in Afghanistan is talking up prospects for peace talks with the Taliban.

Gen. John Nicholson suggested in an interview that after 16 years of war, the militants are weary and see slim chances of making new gains on the battlefield.

Nicholson spoke Wednesday at Bagram air base north of Kabul, shortly after consulting with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

The general said that if peace talks begin between the Taliban and the Afghan government, the effort is likely to take years before bearing fruit.