Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war
Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war
Agreement signed in Qatar's capital, Doha, could result in US troops leaving Afghanistan within 14 months.
by Shereena Qazi
12 hours ago
Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war
The peace deal was signed after 18 months of talks in Doha [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war
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Doha, Qatar - US officials and Taliban representatives have signed an agreement after months of negotiations in Qatar's capital that is aimed at ending the United States's longest war, fought in Afghanistan since 2001.
Saturday's agreement, signed in Doha in the presence of leaders from Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, will pave the way for the US to gradually withdraw its troops.
More:
Afghan president says Pompeo reports progress in US-Taliban talks
Afghan government demands complete ceasefire with Taliban
Why 2019 was Afghanistan's best and worst year since US invasion
The two sides have long wrangled over the US demand for a ceasefire before the signing of the agreement, which has four points: a timeline of 14 months for the withdrawal of all US and NATO troops from Afghanistan; a Taliban guarantee that Afghan soil will not be used as a launchpad that would threaten the security of the US; the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations by March 10; and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
Afghans react to US-Taliban deal: Mixture of hope and fear (3:24)
In a statement, the Taliban said it had reached an agreement "about the termination of occupation of Afghanistan".
"The accord about the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan and never intervening in its affairs in the future is undoubtedly a great achievement," it added.
Earlier on Saturday, the Taliban ordered all its fighters to halt fighting and "refrain from attacks".
Mohammed Naeem, a Taliban representative in Doha, described the agreement as "a step forward".
"With this deal comes the end of war in Afghanistan," he told Al Jazeera.
For his part, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the Taliban to honour its commitments.
"I know there will be a temptation to declare victory, but victory for Afghans will only be achieved when they can live in peace and prosper," he said at the Doha ceremony.
Taliban/US in Doha
The ceremony in Doha was attended by many international delegates [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Troop withdrawal
Minutes before the agreement was signed, a joint statement released by the US and the Afghan government said the US and NATO troops would withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months.
About 14,000 US troops and approximately 17,000 troops from 39 NATO allies and partner countries are stationed in Afghanistan in a non-combatant role.
"The United States will reduce the number of US military forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 and implement other commitments in the US-Taliban agreement within 135 days of the announcement of this joint declaration and the US-Taliban agreement," the joint statement said.
It added that the Afghan government will engage with the United Nations Security Council "to remove Taliban members from sanctions list by May 29".
"No agreement is perfect, and the US-Taliban deal is no exception," said Robert Malley, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group.
"But it represents the most hopeful step to end a war that has lasted two decades and taken countless American and especially Afghan lives. It ought to be celebrated, bolstered and built upon to reach a genuine intra-Afghan peace."
Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Khalilzad, US envoy for reconciliation in Afghanistan [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
The talks were launched in 2018 as part of a push by US President Donald Trump's administration to strike a deal with the Taliban, which has been fighting the US-led forces in Afghanistan since it was toppled from power in 2001.
The agreement also proposes an intra-Afghan dialogue with the government in Kabul and the release of 5,000 Taliban members from prison.
The Taliban has so far refused to speak to the Western-backed Afghan government, saying it is a "puppet regime".
The intra-Afghan talks are to begin on March 10 but no specific details have been given.
A weeklong "reduction in violence" between the Taliban, the US and Afghan security forces saw a sudden drop in violence and casualties across the country after taking effect on February 22.
The Taliban now controls or holds influence over more Afghan territory than at any point since 2001 and has carried out near-daily attacks against military outposts throughout the country.
The two sides were on the verge of signing a peace agreement in September when Trump abruptly cancelled the talks after a Taliban attack killed an American soldier.
Trump has long expressed eagerness to bring US soldiers home and to end the country's longest war as he seeks re-election in 2020.
More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed or wounded since 2009 when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.
U.S., Taliban Sign Deal Meant to End America's Longest War
President Trump says he will meet personally with Taliban leaders soon
The U.S. and Taliban Sign Historic Deal
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The U.S. and Taliban Sign Historic Deal
The U.S. and Taliban Sign Historic Deal
In Doha, Qatar, U.S. and Taliban leaders signed a deal that aims to end years of fighting. Photo: Hussein Sayed/Associated Press
By Dion Nissenbaum and Ehsanullah Amiri
Updated Feb. 29, 2020 3:42 pm ET
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TEXT
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DOHA, Qatar—The U.S. and the Taliban signed a historic deal Saturday meant to end America’s longest war and pave the way for Afghan factions to bring 18 years of costly fighting in their country to an end.
To the shouts of “God is great” by Taliban leaders, a co-founder of the insurgent group and
Afghan conflict: Trump hails deal with Taliban to end 18-year war
6 hours ago
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Related TopicsUS-Taliban peace talks
Media captionTrump: "It's been a hard journey for everybody"
President Trump says it is "time to bring our people back home" after the US signed a deal with the Taliban aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan.
Mr Trump said 5,000 US troops would leave Afghanistan by May and he would meet Taliban leaders in the near future, without specifying where.
The US and Nato allies have agreed to withdraw all troops within 14 months if the militants uphold the historic deal.
Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are due to follow.
Under the agreement, the militants also agreed not to allow al-Qaeda or any other extremist group to operate in the areas they control.
The long road to peace
The Afghan war: The short and long story
The US invaded Afghanistan weeks after the September 2001 attacks in New York by al-Qaeda, then based in Afghanistan. The Taliban were ousted from power but became an insurgent force that by 2018 was active in more than two-thirds of the country.
More than 2,400 US troops have been killed during the conflict. About 12,000 are still stationed in the country.
What else did Trump say about the deal?
Speaking at the White House, Mr Trump congratulated Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and "the people of the United States for having spent so much in terms of blood, in terms of treasure, and treasury."
He said the Taliban had been trying to reach an agreement with the US for a long time, and that he had faith in the deal because "everyone is tired of war."
What could peace look like?
Who are the Taliban?
The president added that US troops had been killing terrorists in Afghanistan "by the thousands" and now it was "time for someone else to do that work and it will be the Taliban and it could be surrounding countries".
"I really believe the Taliban wants to do something to show we're not all wasting time," he added. "If bad things happen, we'll go back with a force like no-one's ever seen."
What happened in Doha?
The deal was signed by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar with Mr Pompeo as a witness.
In a speech, Mr Pompeo urged the militant group to "keep your promises to cut ties with al-Qaeda".
Media captionThe United States and the Taliban mark the signing of their agreement in Doha.
Mr Baradar said he hoped Afghanistan could now emerge from four decades of conflict.
"I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life," he said.
Afghanistan's government did not take part in the US-Taliban talks, but said it was ready to negotiate with the Taliban.
What's in the agreement?
In addition to withdrawing US and allied troops, the deal also provides for a prisoner swap.
Some 5,000 Taliban prisoners and 1,000 Afghan security force prisoners would be exchanged by 10 March, when talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are due to start.
The US will also lift sanctions against the Taliban and work with the UN to lift its separate sanctions against the group.
Why Afghanistan is more dangerous than ever
Has the war cost America $500bn?
The Afghan women determined not to lose out
In Kabul, activist Zahra Husseini said she feared the deal could worsen the situation for women in Afghanistan.
"I don't trust the Taliban, and remember how they suppressed women when they were ruling," the 28-year-old told AFP.
"Today is a dark day, and as I was watching the deal being signed, I had this bad feeling that it would result in their return to power rather than in peace."
Media captionZan TV presenter Ogai Wardak: "If the Taliban come, I will fight them"
A cautious peace for Afghanistan
By Secunder Kermani, BBC News, Kabul
US, Afghan and Taliban officials have all been careful to avoid calling today's agreement in Doha "a peace deal." But in Afghanistan, a sense of cautious optimism has been rising.
The Afghan war has been a bloody stalemate for years now, with the Taliban increasingly controlling or contesting more territory, yet unable to capture and hold major urban centres.
With this has come a growing realisation - by both the Taliban and the US - that neither side is capable of an outright military victory.
This deal now opens the door to wide-ranging talks between the militants and Afghan political leaders.
But these discussions will be much more challenging - somehow there will have to be a reconciliation between the Taliban's vision of an "Islamic Emirate" and the democratic modern Afghanistan that has been created since 2001.
The priority for many ordinary Afghans, at least in the short term, is a substantive reduction in violence. We'll find out in the coming weeks, when the warmer spring weather generally heralds the start of "fighting season", if that will happen.
What reaction has there been?
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed "the importance of sustaining the nationwide reduction in violence, for the benefit of all Afghans"
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg: "We went in together in 2001, we are going to adjust [troop levels] together and when the time is right, we are going to leave together, but we are only going to leave when conditions are right"
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace: "I welcome this small but important step towards the chance for Afghans to live in peace, free from terrorism... We remain absolutely committed to building an Afghanistan that is a strong partner for decades to come"
Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, has criticised the deal, and said it endangered American lives by "legitimising" the Taliban
How did US-Taliban talks come about?
Since 2011, Qatar has hosted Taliban leaders who have moved there to discuss peace in Afghanistan. It has been a chequered process. A Taliban office was opened in 2013, and closed the same year amid rows over flags. Other attempts at talks stalled.
In December 2018, the militants announced they would meet US officials to try to find a "roadmap to peace". But the hard-line Islamist group continued to refuse to hold official talks with the Afghan government, whom they dismissed as American "puppets".
Following nine rounds of US-Taliban talks in Qatar, the two sides seemed close to an agreement.
Media captionThe view from Lashkar Gah province on whether peace with the Taliban is possible
Washington's top negotiator announced last September that the US would withdraw 5,400 troops from Afghanistan within 20 weeks as part of a deal agreed "in principle" with Taliban militants.
Days later, Mr Trump said the talks were "dead", after the group killed a US soldier. But within weeks the two sides resumed discussions behind the scenes.
A week ago the Taliban agreed to a "reduction of violence" - although Afghan officials say at least 22 soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed in Taliban attacks over that period.
Media captionTens of thousands of Afghan soldiers have been killed and injured. This is their story
Nearly 3,500 members of the international coalition forces have died in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion.
The figures for Afghan civilians, militants and government forces are more difficult to quantify. In a February 2019 report, the UN said that more than 32,000 civilians had died. The Watson Institute at Brown University says 58,000 security personnel and 42,000 opposition combatants have been killed.
Agreement signed in Qatar's capital, Doha, could result in US troops leaving Afghanistan within 14 months.
by Shereena Qazi
12 hours ago
Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war
The peace deal was signed after 18 months of talks in Doha [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
MORE ON AFGHANISTAN
Is peace finally coming to Afghanistan?
today
US war in Afghanistan: From 2001 invasion to 2020 agreement
today
Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war
today
What does the Taliban-US agreement say?
today
Doha, Qatar - US officials and Taliban representatives have signed an agreement after months of negotiations in Qatar's capital that is aimed at ending the United States's longest war, fought in Afghanistan since 2001.
Saturday's agreement, signed in Doha in the presence of leaders from Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, will pave the way for the US to gradually withdraw its troops.
More:
Afghan president says Pompeo reports progress in US-Taliban talks
Afghan government demands complete ceasefire with Taliban
Why 2019 was Afghanistan's best and worst year since US invasion
The two sides have long wrangled over the US demand for a ceasefire before the signing of the agreement, which has four points: a timeline of 14 months for the withdrawal of all US and NATO troops from Afghanistan; a Taliban guarantee that Afghan soil will not be used as a launchpad that would threaten the security of the US; the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations by March 10; and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
Afghans react to US-Taliban deal: Mixture of hope and fear (3:24)
In a statement, the Taliban said it had reached an agreement "about the termination of occupation of Afghanistan".
"The accord about the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan and never intervening in its affairs in the future is undoubtedly a great achievement," it added.
Earlier on Saturday, the Taliban ordered all its fighters to halt fighting and "refrain from attacks".
Mohammed Naeem, a Taliban representative in Doha, described the agreement as "a step forward".
"With this deal comes the end of war in Afghanistan," he told Al Jazeera.
For his part, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the Taliban to honour its commitments.
"I know there will be a temptation to declare victory, but victory for Afghans will only be achieved when they can live in peace and prosper," he said at the Doha ceremony.
Taliban/US in Doha
The ceremony in Doha was attended by many international delegates [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Troop withdrawal
Minutes before the agreement was signed, a joint statement released by the US and the Afghan government said the US and NATO troops would withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months.
About 14,000 US troops and approximately 17,000 troops from 39 NATO allies and partner countries are stationed in Afghanistan in a non-combatant role.
"The United States will reduce the number of US military forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 and implement other commitments in the US-Taliban agreement within 135 days of the announcement of this joint declaration and the US-Taliban agreement," the joint statement said.
It added that the Afghan government will engage with the United Nations Security Council "to remove Taliban members from sanctions list by May 29".
"No agreement is perfect, and the US-Taliban deal is no exception," said Robert Malley, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group.
"But it represents the most hopeful step to end a war that has lasted two decades and taken countless American and especially Afghan lives. It ought to be celebrated, bolstered and built upon to reach a genuine intra-Afghan peace."
Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Khalilzad, US envoy for reconciliation in Afghanistan [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
The talks were launched in 2018 as part of a push by US President Donald Trump's administration to strike a deal with the Taliban, which has been fighting the US-led forces in Afghanistan since it was toppled from power in 2001.
The agreement also proposes an intra-Afghan dialogue with the government in Kabul and the release of 5,000 Taliban members from prison.
The Taliban has so far refused to speak to the Western-backed Afghan government, saying it is a "puppet regime".
The intra-Afghan talks are to begin on March 10 but no specific details have been given.
A weeklong "reduction in violence" between the Taliban, the US and Afghan security forces saw a sudden drop in violence and casualties across the country after taking effect on February 22.
The Taliban now controls or holds influence over more Afghan territory than at any point since 2001 and has carried out near-daily attacks against military outposts throughout the country.
The two sides were on the verge of signing a peace agreement in September when Trump abruptly cancelled the talks after a Taliban attack killed an American soldier.
Trump has long expressed eagerness to bring US soldiers home and to end the country's longest war as he seeks re-election in 2020.
More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed or wounded since 2009 when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.
U.S., Taliban Sign Deal Meant to End America's Longest War
President Trump says he will meet personally with Taliban leaders soon
The U.S. and Taliban Sign Historic Deal
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
UP NEXT
The U.S. and Taliban Sign Historic Deal
The U.S. and Taliban Sign Historic Deal
In Doha, Qatar, U.S. and Taliban leaders signed a deal that aims to end years of fighting. Photo: Hussein Sayed/Associated Press
By Dion Nissenbaum and Ehsanullah Amiri
Updated Feb. 29, 2020 3:42 pm ET
TEXT
310
DOHA, Qatar—The U.S. and the Taliban signed a historic deal Saturday meant to end America’s longest war and pave the way for Afghan factions to bring 18 years of costly fighting in their country to an end.
To the shouts of “God is great” by Taliban leaders, a co-founder of the insurgent group and
Afghan conflict: Trump hails deal with Taliban to end 18-year war
6 hours ago
Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share
Related TopicsUS-Taliban peace talks
Media captionTrump: "It's been a hard journey for everybody"
President Trump says it is "time to bring our people back home" after the US signed a deal with the Taliban aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan.
Mr Trump said 5,000 US troops would leave Afghanistan by May and he would meet Taliban leaders in the near future, without specifying where.
The US and Nato allies have agreed to withdraw all troops within 14 months if the militants uphold the historic deal.
Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are due to follow.
Under the agreement, the militants also agreed not to allow al-Qaeda or any other extremist group to operate in the areas they control.
The long road to peace
The Afghan war: The short and long story
The US invaded Afghanistan weeks after the September 2001 attacks in New York by al-Qaeda, then based in Afghanistan. The Taliban were ousted from power but became an insurgent force that by 2018 was active in more than two-thirds of the country.
More than 2,400 US troops have been killed during the conflict. About 12,000 are still stationed in the country.
What else did Trump say about the deal?
Speaking at the White House, Mr Trump congratulated Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and "the people of the United States for having spent so much in terms of blood, in terms of treasure, and treasury."
He said the Taliban had been trying to reach an agreement with the US for a long time, and that he had faith in the deal because "everyone is tired of war."
What could peace look like?
Who are the Taliban?
The president added that US troops had been killing terrorists in Afghanistan "by the thousands" and now it was "time for someone else to do that work and it will be the Taliban and it could be surrounding countries".
"I really believe the Taliban wants to do something to show we're not all wasting time," he added. "If bad things happen, we'll go back with a force like no-one's ever seen."
What happened in Doha?
The deal was signed by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar with Mr Pompeo as a witness.
In a speech, Mr Pompeo urged the militant group to "keep your promises to cut ties with al-Qaeda".
Media captionThe United States and the Taliban mark the signing of their agreement in Doha.
Mr Baradar said he hoped Afghanistan could now emerge from four decades of conflict.
"I hope that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life," he said.
Afghanistan's government did not take part in the US-Taliban talks, but said it was ready to negotiate with the Taliban.
What's in the agreement?
In addition to withdrawing US and allied troops, the deal also provides for a prisoner swap.
Some 5,000 Taliban prisoners and 1,000 Afghan security force prisoners would be exchanged by 10 March, when talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are due to start.
The US will also lift sanctions against the Taliban and work with the UN to lift its separate sanctions against the group.
Why Afghanistan is more dangerous than ever
Has the war cost America $500bn?
The Afghan women determined not to lose out
In Kabul, activist Zahra Husseini said she feared the deal could worsen the situation for women in Afghanistan.
"I don't trust the Taliban, and remember how they suppressed women when they were ruling," the 28-year-old told AFP.
"Today is a dark day, and as I was watching the deal being signed, I had this bad feeling that it would result in their return to power rather than in peace."
Media captionZan TV presenter Ogai Wardak: "If the Taliban come, I will fight them"
A cautious peace for Afghanistan
By Secunder Kermani, BBC News, Kabul
US, Afghan and Taliban officials have all been careful to avoid calling today's agreement in Doha "a peace deal." But in Afghanistan, a sense of cautious optimism has been rising.
The Afghan war has been a bloody stalemate for years now, with the Taliban increasingly controlling or contesting more territory, yet unable to capture and hold major urban centres.
With this has come a growing realisation - by both the Taliban and the US - that neither side is capable of an outright military victory.
This deal now opens the door to wide-ranging talks between the militants and Afghan political leaders.
But these discussions will be much more challenging - somehow there will have to be a reconciliation between the Taliban's vision of an "Islamic Emirate" and the democratic modern Afghanistan that has been created since 2001.
The priority for many ordinary Afghans, at least in the short term, is a substantive reduction in violence. We'll find out in the coming weeks, when the warmer spring weather generally heralds the start of "fighting season", if that will happen.
What reaction has there been?
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed "the importance of sustaining the nationwide reduction in violence, for the benefit of all Afghans"
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg: "We went in together in 2001, we are going to adjust [troop levels] together and when the time is right, we are going to leave together, but we are only going to leave when conditions are right"
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace: "I welcome this small but important step towards the chance for Afghans to live in peace, free from terrorism... We remain absolutely committed to building an Afghanistan that is a strong partner for decades to come"
Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, has criticised the deal, and said it endangered American lives by "legitimising" the Taliban
How did US-Taliban talks come about?
Since 2011, Qatar has hosted Taliban leaders who have moved there to discuss peace in Afghanistan. It has been a chequered process. A Taliban office was opened in 2013, and closed the same year amid rows over flags. Other attempts at talks stalled.
In December 2018, the militants announced they would meet US officials to try to find a "roadmap to peace". But the hard-line Islamist group continued to refuse to hold official talks with the Afghan government, whom they dismissed as American "puppets".
Following nine rounds of US-Taliban talks in Qatar, the two sides seemed close to an agreement.
Media captionThe view from Lashkar Gah province on whether peace with the Taliban is possible
Washington's top negotiator announced last September that the US would withdraw 5,400 troops from Afghanistan within 20 weeks as part of a deal agreed "in principle" with Taliban militants.
Days later, Mr Trump said the talks were "dead", after the group killed a US soldier. But within weeks the two sides resumed discussions behind the scenes.
A week ago the Taliban agreed to a "reduction of violence" - although Afghan officials say at least 22 soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed in Taliban attacks over that period.
Media captionTens of thousands of Afghan soldiers have been killed and injured. This is their story
Nearly 3,500 members of the international coalition forces have died in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion.
The figures for Afghan civilians, militants and government forces are more difficult to quantify. In a February 2019 report, the UN said that more than 32,000 civilians had died. The Watson Institute at Brown University says 58,000 security personnel and 42,000 opposition combatants have been killed.
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