TALIBAN OPEN TO 10-DAY CEASEFIRE WITH U.S., TALKS WITH KABUL

The Taliban will implement a 10-day ceasefire with US troops, a reduction in violence with Afghan forces and discussions with Afghan government officials if it reaches a deal with US negotiators in talks in Doha, two sources have said. If an agreement is sealed, it could revive hopes for a long-term solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. Taliban and US negotiators met on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the signing of a peace deal, according to a spokesman for the Taliban office in Qatar. The talks were “useful” and would continue for a few days, the spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said on Twitter early on Friday. US President Donald Trump had called off the stop-start talks to end the 18-year war in September after an US soldier was killed in an attack by the militant group.

They resumed but were interrupted again in December after the Taliban launched a suicide attack on a US base outside Kabul killing two civilians. Two sources close to the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that the Taliban’s top leadership had now agreed to implement a 10-day ceasefire with U.S troops once a deal was signed in Doha, and to “reduce” attacks against the Afghan government. A senior Taliban commander said: “The US wanted us to announce a ceasefire during the peace talks which we had rejected. Our shura (council) has agreed to a ceasefire the day the peace accord is signed.” Once an agreement is in place, the Taliban and Afghan government could meet face to face in Germany, said the commander.