US and Taliban sign historic agreement to end 18-year war

The United States signed a deal with Taliban insurgents on Saturday that could pave the way toward a full withdrawal of foreign soldiers from Afghanistan and represent a step toward ending the 18-year-war in the nation.

The deal was signed in the Qatari capital Doha by U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on hand to witness the ceremony.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper called the accord a good step but just the beginning.

“We are working to finally end America’s longest war and bring our troops back home,” said U.S President Donald Trump in a White House statement.

The Afghan government said it stood ready to negotiate and conclude a ceasefire with the Taliban, and it affirmed its support for the phased withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces subject to the Taliban’s fulfilment of its commitments.

It also said that it remained committed to preventing militant groups from using its soil to threaten the security of the United States, its allies and other countries.

Separately, NATO pledged to adjust the coalition troop levels in the first phase too, bringing down NATO’s numbers to about 12,000 from roughly 16,000 troops at present.