ISLAMABAD (AP) – The United States and the Taliban have agreed to sign a peace deal next week aimed at ending 18 years of war in Afghanistan and bringing U.S. troops home, wrapping up America’s longest-running conflict and fulfilling one of President Donald Trump’s main campaign promises.
The planned signing depends on the success of a week-long nationwide ‘reduction in violence’ agreement that would see a halt to all Taliban attacks and is due to start at midnight Friday local time (1930 GMT, 2:30 p.m. EST).
If it’s successful, the peace agreement will be signed in Doha, Qatar, on February 29 and pave the way for a withdrawal of American troops and the start of all-Afghan negotiations.
