‘U.S., Taliban Agree on American Troop Pullout’

Date: 12 March 2019 - 21:05

News ID: ۶۴۱۴۲

DOHA (Dispatches) – The U.S. delegation and the Taliban, on the last day of the fifth round of Doha talks, drafted an agreement on combating terrorism and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported, citing sources.
The media outlet has not, however, specified the details of the deal, only saying that it was a document written in the English and Pashtu languages.
According to the outlet, the sources confirmed that the Taliban had agreed to cut ties with all terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, and join in the fight against them.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported, citing sources, that no deal on the timeline for the pullout of foreign troops has been reached. As the news agency mentioned, the sides will meet for the next round of talks in the near future.
The fresh round of negotiations between the American delegation and Taliban representatives started on 25 February.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001, which led to the fall of the Taliban. The group, however, has strengthened its grip over the past few years, with Kabul controlling over 55 percent of the country’s expanse.
Meanwhile, Washington has stepped up its involvement in talks with the group since last year when it appointed the Afghan-born envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. The point man has ever since held at least four meetings with the Taliban representatives, and has been touring the region to sound out some of the countries, including  Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, on ways to put an end to the violence and militancy in the war-ravaged country.
The violence, however, has not subsided.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a halving of the 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, although it was not clear if the announced drawdown had to do with the threat leveled by the Taliban.

The U.S. delegation and the Taliban have reportedly drafted an agreement on combating terrorism and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.