A helicopter crash overnight has taken the lives of at least nine Afghan military personnel in a central province, the defense ministry said Thursday.

With violence spiking, Afghanistan’s warring sides have returned to the negotiation table, ending more than a month of delays amid hopes that the two sides can agree on a reduction of violence - and eventually, an outright ceasefire.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday the increasing violence in some parts of Afghanistan was unacceptable, urging warring parties to "stop posturing" before intra-Afghan peace talks.