U.S. troops, Afghan forces and the Taliban will begin a seven-day partial truce Friday, a senior Department of State official confirmed, which if successful would lead to the signing of a long-awaited, broader U.S.-Taliban agreement that could see American troops withdraw from the country after 18 years of conflict.
The reduction in violence is seen as a test of the Taliban’s resolve to end the conflict in Afghanistan, which is America’s longest war. If properly implemented, a Taliban representative and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will sign the agreement in Doha, the capital of Qatar, later this month, the official said.
