U.S., Taliban agree to truce in Afghanistan
A senior U.S. official says a temporary truce could lead to a formal cease-fire, the start of peace negotiations.
Talks include end to suicide bombings, withdrawal of troops.
The United States and the Taliban have reached agreement on a temporary truce that will take effect in the coming days and, if successfully completed, will lead to a formal cease-fire, the start of peace negotiations between all Afghan sides next month and the ultimate withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, a senior U.S. official said Friday.
The official said the agreement for a seven-day “reduction in violence” is “very specific” and covers the entire country, including Afghan government forces. There were indications a formal announcement could come as early as the weekend.
The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Taliban had committed to a halt in roadside and suicide bombings as well as rocket attacks. The official said the U.S. would monitor the truce and determine if there were any violations.
Should the Taliban comply, the “reduction in violence” agreement would be followed by the signing of a second agreement between the United States and the Taliban. That agreement, culminating 16 months of talks, would initiate the peace negotiations and the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
A Taliban official familiar with the deal said the second agreement would be signed on Feb. 29 and the Afghan talks would begin on March 10.
That Taliban official, who was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the agreement would provide for the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners before the start of the negotiations.
To make good on its promise to release Taliban prisoners, Washington is going to need Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who has been critical of the way U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has conducted the talks.
Ghani has also bickered with his partner in the current Unity Government, Abdullah Abdullah, over who will represent Kabul at the negotiating table. Ghani has insisted he lead the talks, while his political opponents and other prominent Afghans have called for more inclusive representation at the negotiating table.
The Taliban and those familiar with the details of the Afghan negotiations say the representatives from Kabul will include government officials but they will sit across from the Taliban as ordinary Afghans and not as government representatives.