US, Afghan Taliban agree to sign historic peace deal on Feb 29

DOHA: The United States and the Afghan Taliban are set to sign a historic agreement later this month to pave the way to ending America’s longest war.

The announcement comes hours after the Afghan government said a weeklong partial truce would start this weekend starting a countdown to the peace deal.

The reduction in violence would mark a major turning point in the conflict and set the conditions for a deal that could result in US troops pulling out after more than 18 years.

Both US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Taliban issued statements saying they have agreed to sign the accord on February 29 in Doha, the capital of Qatar, following the one-week partial truce.

“Upon successful implementation of this understanding, signing of the US-Taliban agreement is expected to move forward,” Pompeo said, adding negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government would “start soon thereafter,” he said in a tweet about the latest developments.

Mike Pompeo said the peace agreement will lead to an eventual permanent cease-fire. “We are preparing for the signing to take place on Feb. 29,” Pompeo said in a statement.

“Intra-Afghan negotiations will start soon thereafter and will build on this fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent cease-fire and the future political road map for Afghanistan. ‘’

After decades of conflict, we have come to an understanding with the Taliban on a significant reduction in violence across #Afghanistan. This is an important step on a long road to peace, and I call on all Afghans to seize this opportunity.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 21, 2020

The deal also envisions guarantees from the Taliban that Afghanistan will not be used to attack the US or its allies, and provides for the phased withdrawal of American and other foreign forces from the country over 18 months.

“The only way to achieve a sustainable peace in Afghanistan is for Afghans to come together and agree on the way forward,” Pompeo said in his statement.

Afghan National Security Council spokesman Javed Faisal and Taliban said earlier that the reduction in violence between US, Taliban and Afghan security forces would begin Saturday.

The US has been in talks with the Taliban for more than a year to secure a deal in which it would pull out thousands of troops in return for Taliban security guarantees and a promise to hold peace talks with the government in Kabul.

The week-long reduction in violence would show the Taliban can control their forces ahead of any signing. In a statement, the Taliban said warring parties would “create a suitable security situation” ahead of a deal signing.

Russia hailed the accord between the United States and the Taliban as an “important event” for peace in Afghanistan. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the pact, saying it had opened a possible route to sustainable peace in Afghanistan.