Taliban, US sign deal to end war

AUSTRALIAN troops could soon be withdrawn from Afghanistan with the historic peace deal between the Taliban and the US signalling a tentative step to an end of the almost two decade-long conflict.

And it may not end there, with the Iraqi Parliament holding discussions this week that may lead to Coalition troops being thanked for their training help but then asked to leave.

Australia committed military personal to Afghanistan in October 2001 after the 9/11 Twin Towers terror attack in the US with the ADF having had some form of presence there ever since.

Under its current NATOled train, advise and assist mission the ADF has about 200 personnel in-country, mostly in Kabul and Kandahar as well as stationed with British troops north of the capital in Qargha.

During the almost 19 years of conflict in embattled Afghanistan, 41 Australian troops were killed with another 261 wounded; another Australian was killed while fighting with the British forces.

Overnight US President Donald Trump, who has consistently pledged to end “endless wars”, said he would meet Taliban leaders after he struck a peace deal with the insurgents.

The deal, he said, would see the Taliban agree to full peace and would lead to the US withdrawing one third of its 13,000 troops in the country in the next three months with an eventual full withdrawal in the next 14 months, conditional on peace being maintained.

“We can’t be the policeman for the world,” Mr Trump said as the historic deal, signed by chief negotiators from the two sides and witnessed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

“We are seizing the best opportunity for peace in a generation,” Mr Pompeo said.

The decision has led to the ADF drawing up plans for their own withdrawal, with the deal flagging removal of Coalition forces within 14 months.

In a joint statement, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and Foreign Minister Marise Payne welcomed the decision and said Australia supported agreements and processes that would bring peace to Afghanistan after decades of conflict.

“We are proud of the achievements of the Australian Defence Force, diplomats and aid and other officials in Afghanistan over many years, and acknowledge the invaluable service of these men and women, and the resilient support of their families since 2001,” they said.

“We pay our deepest respects to the 41 ADF members killed in action.”

Meanwhile the Iraqi Parliament is this week to discuss a peace deal with Iran-backed militia groups and minor parties, a deal said also to be conditional on Coalition forces leaving the country.