JUST IN: A seven-day reduction in violence between Afghan, Taliban and American forces will begin Friday in Afghanistan, a senior state department official says.
between Afghan, Taliban and American forces will begin Friday in Afghanistan, a senior state department official confirmed. If that agreement holds, it would lead to the signing of a long-awaited, broader U.S.-Taliban agreement that could see U.S. troops withdraw from the country after 18 years of conflict.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed in a statement that the U.S. was"preparing for the signing to take place on February 29." The reduction in violence is seen as a test of the Taliban’s resolve to end the conflict in Afghanistan, which is America’s longest war. If properly implemented, a Taliban representative and U.S. Special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will sign the U.S.-Taliban agreement in Doha later this month, a senior state department official said.which calls for a timeline for a U.S.
The Taliban also confirmed in a statement that they had agreed to sign the accord on Feb. 29 and said both parties would create"a suitable security situation in advance of the agreement signing date." Many of the details of the reduction in violence remains unclear. The U.S. hopes to establish a channel with the Taliban and eventually Afghan authorities to monitor the reduction in violence, a senior U.S. official told reporters last week. If there is a violation of the agreement the top U.S. commander for Afghanistan, Gen. Scott Miller, will ultimately have the final say as to its significance, the official added.
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