ISLAMBAD – Afghan Taliban confirm signing a deal with United States,Sources within Taliban have revealed.

A senior member of the Taliban, Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwah, says the USand the Taliban negotiators will likely sign the much-awaited peaceagreement after Eid al-Adha — at the end of this week.

In a recorded video published on Youtube, the Taliban member says the talksbetween the US and the group will continue after Eid al-Adha which ends onAugust 13.

He said that the peace deal between the US and the Taliban will be signedin the presence of representatives of the UN the Islamic Organization andregional countries after the return of the US Special Envoy ZalmayKhalilzad to Doha after Eid (August 14).

“Discussions on other issues such as intra-Afghan negotiations will be madeafter that [the signing of the peace deal],” he said.

Mr. Khalilzad traveled to India from Qatar earlier this week and went toNorway after that where he held talks with Norwegian Foreign Minister MarieEriksen Søreide and discussed Afghan peace.

Mr. Khalilzad said in a tweet on Friday that Norway is a global leader infacilitating negotiations and can help Afghanistan achieve peace.