Taliban officials said US negotiators yesterday agreed a draft peace deal stipulating the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan within 18 months of the agreement being signed.
Jibran Ahmad
January 27 2019 3:41 PM
Taliban officials said US negotiators yesterday agreed a draft peace deal stipulating the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan within 18 months of the agreement being signed.
The details were given by Taliban sources at the end of six days of talks with US special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar aimed at ending the region’s long war.
They have yet to be confirmed by US officials nor has either side released an official statement.
According to the Taliban sources, the hardline Islamic group gave assurances that Afghanistan will not be allowed to be used by al-Qaeda and Isil militants to attack the US or its allies – a key early demand of Washington. It is not known if the draft is acceptable to both sides or when it will be completed and signed.
The Taliban sources said a key provision to the deal included a ceasefire but they had yet to confirm a timeline and will only open talks with Afghan representatives once the ceasefire is implemented.
Up until now, the Taliban has repeatedly rejected the Afghan government’s offer of holding talks, preferring instead to talk directly to the US side, which it regards as its main enemy.
