US agrees to pullout troops from Afghanistan

DOHA: The United States and Taliban officials have agreed over the US troops pullout from Afghanistan in their extended round of talks in Qatar, an American media report said on Saturday.

US-Taliban talks in Doha, Qatar entered the sixth day today. The US agreement pertaining to pulling out troops from the war-torn Afghanistan will likely to be announced today, the report said.

It further relayed that representatives of Pakistan and hosts Qatar also attended the dialogue.

Earlier, an Afghanistan news agency, citing sources familiar with Doha talks said, US officials have accepted that their troops will withdraw from Afghanistan in the US-Taliban talks on Jan 25.

“The Taliban have also assured the US negotiators they will not let Al Qaeda and Daesh to operate in Afghanistan,” said sources. “US officials requested a ceasefire but Taliban demanded a timeline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.”

Taliban also demanded US assurance regarding no threat to regional countries especially for Pakistan. “Only then a ceasefire will take place.”

During this round of talks, the US special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has asked Taliban to hold talks with Afghan government and that the talks should aimed at reforms and not for a Taliban controlled Afghanistan.

It is pertinent to note that the Taliban has not responded to this call by Ambassador Khalilzad.

According to unconfirmed reports, Taliban representatives will come to Kabul after a possible ceasefire and will hold talks with the Afghan government.