US and Taliban Official Announce Truce Agreement in Afghanistan

In a groundbreaking development, a senior U.S. official announced on Friday that the United States and the Taliban have reached a truce agreement that is set to take effect “very soon.” This agreement could potentially lead to the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, marking a significant step towards ending the long-standing conflict in the region.

The truce agreement includes a seven-day “reduction in violence” period, which will be followed by the commencement of all-Afghan peace talks within 10 days. The agreement is said to be “very specific” and covers the entire country, including Afghan forces.

This news comes as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani in Munich. The final details of the agreement were ironed out by U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar.

While a truce had been widely anticipated, President Donald Trump has agreed in principle to the deal, which could potentially lead to significant troop withdrawals from Afghanistan. Despite previous setbacks, U.S. officials remain optimistic about the prospects of peace in the region.

The agreement calls for the successful conclusion of the truce period to be followed by all-Afghan negotiations to determine the country’s political future. This development marks a significant step towards achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan and could potentially bring an end to the decades-long conflict in the region.