On Saturday, February 29, the United States signed a historic agreement with the rebels of the Taliban, which could pave the way for the full withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan over the next 14 months and be a step towards ending 18 years of war.
However, many expect that the negotiations between various Afghan parties would be much more difficult.
The agreement was signed in the Qatari capital Doha, the special U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and political leader of the movement «Taliban» Mullah Abdul Gani Baradaram. U.S. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo attended the ceremony.
The Secretary of defense mark Esper, meanwhile, visited Kabul to visit, which, according to officials and experts, was intended to convince the government of Afghanistan in the commitment of the United States of this country.
For the US President Donald trump’s deal gives you the chance to fulfill his promise to bring American troops home. But security experts also called it a «game of foreign policy», which can ensure the international legitimacy of the movement «Taliban».
«Today is a great day for Afghanistan, said the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. — We are talking about peace and creating a common bright future. We support Afghanistan.»
A few hours before the deal, the Taliban had ordered all its fighters in Afghanistan to «refrain from any attacks for the happiness of the nation.»
«We hope that the United States will remain committed to its promises during the negotiation and peace agreement,» said Zabiullah Mujahid, the representative of the Islamist group.
For millions of Afghans, this transaction represents the hope for an end to years of bloodshed.
«My country deserves it,» he told Reuters 38-year-old Javed Hassan, a school teacher living on the outskirts of Kabul. Children of Hasan were killed in the bomb attack committed by the Taliban in 2018. Since then he wrote letters to world leaders, urging them to end the Afghan war.
But prospects for peace remain uncertain, given that the next step is to reach agreement with the Afghan government.
There are also questions about whether the Taliban are willing to accede to the agreement on the cessation of violence.
Sources in the Taliban earlier this month said it gained more than 6000 militants and suicide bombers and are ready to start the spring offensive, if the agreement fails.
