ISLAMABAD – Afghanistan peace deal could be the first step towardsresetting Afghanistan’s future as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is setto witness the signing of the agreement and prepare the ground for apolitical settlement between the warring sides.
America’s top diplomat will stand with political leaders of the Taliban,Afghanistan’s former rulers who sheltered Osama bin Laden and his militantnetwork until 2001 as he plotted and conducted the 9/11 attacks.
A statement from Trump on Friday said Pompeo would be present for thesigning of the deal that will pave way for US troop numbers to drop to8,600 from about 13,000 in the weeks following the deal.
Further reductions of western forces will hinge on the Taliban adhering toa “reduction in violence” pledge, a condition that will be assessed by theUnited States.
But prospects for war-torn Afghanistan’s future are uncertain. Theagreement sets the stage for peace talks involving Afghan factions, whichare likely to be complicated.
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Under the deal, the Taliban wants 5,000 fighters to be released fromAfghan-run jails, but it’s not clear whether the Afghan government willagree.
Some senior commanders of the Taliban who arrived in Doha for the signingceremony said they will ensure that the US and Afghan governments acceptall the conditions laid down by the group that controls about 40% ofAfghanistan, according to Afghan defense officials.
Sources in the Taliban earlier this month said they were prepared to launcha spring offensive and had recruited more than 6,000 fighters if theagreement collapses.
