KABUL (SW) – The Trump administration is seeking to announce a deal to deescalate violence with the Afghan Taliban as soon as this week, the CNN reported.
The prospective deal is being described as a "reduction in violence announcement," which would call for a ceasefire period between the coalition and the Taliban, with hopes of a peace deal being reached in the near future. The US is aiming for a peace deal to help execute President Donald Trump's desire to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. The first step is expected to reduce the current level of troops from 12-13,000 to 8,600, it added.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday welcomed the “notable progress” made in ongoing peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban. Ghani said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had informed him by phone about the Taliban’s proposal “with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence.”
“This is a welcoming development, and I am pleased that our principal position on peace thus far has begun to yield fruitful results. Our primary objective is to end the senseless bloodshed,” Ghani tweeted. “To do so, the Afghan people stand with us with their full consensus, and I assure them that their leadership maintains the courage, competence and the necessary resources to achieve this objective.
“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will manage the next steps in a manner that positively supports the overall peace process and will report to the public,” added Ghani.
Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also said he spoke with Pompeo Tuesday, noting the top US diplomat "expressed optimism that a reduction in violence and progress with current talks could lead to an agreement that would pave the way for intra-Afghan talks leading to durable peace."
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