The United States is set to withdraw almost five thousand troops from Afghanistan and close five bases within 135 days …under a proposed deal with the Taliban.
Chief U.S. negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad revealed the details of the draft peace accord in a TV interview on Monday, …adding that it must still be approved by U.S. President Trump.
He declined to say how long the rest of the roughly 14-thousand U.S. troops would remain in Afghanistan.
In exchange for the withdrawal, the Taliban would ensure that Afghanistan would never be used as a base for militant groups like al Qaeda or Islamic State to attack the U.S. and its allies.
However, …even as the interview was being aired, a large explosion rocked Kabul
Khalilzad said the aim of the deal was to end the war but there was no formal ceasefire agreement, …and attacks like these highlight fears that the negotiations won't end the daily violence in Afghanistan.
