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Taliban Peace Deal: US and its allies to withdraw forces from Afghanistan within 14 months

The United States and its allies will withdraw all their forces from Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban abide by an agreement due to be signed in Doha on Saturday, Washington and Kabul said in a joint statement.

After an initial reduction of troops to 8,600 within 135 days of Saturday’s signing, the US and its partners “will complete the withdrawal of their remaining forces from Afghanistan within 14 months… and will withdraw all their forces from remaining bases”, the declaration stated.

The Doha accord would see thousands of American troops quit Afghanistan in a phased plan after more than 18 years in return for various security commitments from the insurgents and a pledge to hold talks with the government in Kabul.

US President Donald Trump has said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will attend the signing of US-Taliban agreement, which could be one step forward to ultimate US troops withdrawal and lasting peace in Afghanistan.

The US and Afghan Taliban are expected to sign a deal in the Qatari capital city of Doha on Saturday, which reportedly includes a timeline for a conditions-based and phased US forces withdrawal, the commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations and the Taliban’s commitment not to assist terrorists, Xinhua reported on Saturday.

“If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home,” Trump said in a statement released by the White House on Friday.

Apart from announcing Pompeo’s presence at the signing ceremony, Trump also revealed that US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan, without any elaboration on details.

Trump urged the Afghan people to “seize this opportunity for peace and a new future” for their country, saying that “ultimately it will be up to the people of Afghanistan to work out their future”.-Agencies

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