Doha (Agencies): US and Taliban negotiators are "at the threshold of an agreement" to end 18 years of conflict between them, Washington's top negotiator said Sunday as he concluded their latest talks.
"We are at the threshold of an agreement that will reduce violence and open the door for Afghans to sit together to negotiate an honourable and sustainable peace," tweeted Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.
We are at the threshold of an agreement that will reduce violence and open the door for Afghans to sit together to negotiate an honorable & sustainable peace and a unified, sovereign Afghanistan that does not threaten the United States, its allies, or any other country.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) August 31, 2019
Khalilzad added that he would travel to Kabul later Sunday "for consultations" following the end of the eighth and final day of the latest round of talks.
We’ve concluded this round of talks with the Taliban in #Doha. I’ll be traveling to #Kabul later today for consultations.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) August 31, 2019
The foes have been meeting in Doha to conclude a deal under which the Taliban would give security guarantees in return for sharp reductions to the 13,000-strong US force in Afghanistan.
US troops were first sent to Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda, which was sheltered by the former Taliban regime.
Washington now wants to end its military involvement — the longest in its history — and has been talking to the Taliban since at least 2018.
