Kabul (BNA) A spokesman for the Taliban has told a Pakistani newspaper thatthe militant group is hoping to reach an Afghan peace deal with U.Snegotiators by the end of January.

The comments by Suhail Shaheen on January 18 to the Dawn newspaper comeafter negotiators from the Taliban and the United States met for two daysof talks in Qatar.

Shaheen said in a post on Twitter on January 17 that the meetings onJanuary 16 and 17 had been “useful.” He said the discussions had focused onthe signing of a joint agreement and a related ceremony without elaborating.

The U.S. team, led by Zalmay Khalilzad, has not spoken publicly about thenegotiations. But Reuters quoted two sources as saying the Taliban wasready to agree to a 10-day truce with U.S. forces, as well as a reductionin violence with Afghan forces and talks with Afghan officials if a deal isreached.

Shaheen on January 18 said Taliban militants were ready to scale backmilitant attacks ahead of the anticipated signing of the deal with U.S.negotiators. “We have agreed to scale down military operations in daysleading up to the signing of the peace agreement with the United States,”Shaheen told Dawn.

He added that the Taliban was “optimistic” a deal with Washington could besigned before the end of the month and that the reduction in fightingacross the country would also include the targeting of Afghan forces.Analysts say that, if an agreement is clinched, it could revive hopes for along-term solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.