US and Taliban Started a Temporary Truce

A seven-day “reduction in violence” between the US and the Afghan Taliban has begun, officials say.

Ariana News Agency-

“This is an important step on a long road to peace,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

If successful, the two sides will then sign the first phase of a deal aimed at ending nearly two decades of conflict.

The agreement, which began at midnight local time, comes after more than a year of talks between American and Afghan Taliban representatives.

In a statement, Taliban negotiators said “a suitable security situation” would be created ahead of signing a deal they hoped would “lay the groundwork for peace across the country with the withdrawal of all foreign forces”.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the move, adding that this was “a critical test of the Taliban’s willingness and ability to reduce violence, and contribute to peace in good faith”.

The Afghan government, which is currently grappling with a dispute over the results of the country’s presidential elections, was not part of the negotiations.

Under the terms of the partial week-long truce, it is understood that no major offensive operations will be launched against the Taliban, Afghan or international forces.

“We have come to an understanding with the Taliban on a significant reduction in violence across Afghanistan,” Mr Pompeo said in a statement.

“Upon a successful implementation of this understanding, signing of the US-Taliban [peace] agreement is expected to move forward. We are preparing for the signing to take place on 29 February,” the statement added.

The US has spent billions of dollars since 2001 fighting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump, who pledged during his 2016 presidential campaign that he would end the US war in Afghanistan, has been pushing for the withdrawal of US troops from the country.

The BBC’s Afghanistan correspondent, Secunder Kermani, says the move is seen as an opportunity for the Taliban’s leadership to show they can control their fighters on the ground.

It could also pave the way for talks between Taliban negotiators and Afghan politicians, our correspondent adds.