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February 7, 2019

Taliban Says U.S. Has Agreed to Halve Its Afghanistan Troop Presence
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In Moscow, peace talks between the Taliban and prominent Afghan
politicians wrapped up Wednesday with parties agreeing to a road map for
ending the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan-now in its 18th year, the longest
war in U.S. history. The government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani did
not attend the talks, which did not reach consensus on a timeline for a
U.S. withdrawal. This is the Taliban's chief negotiator.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai: "We are in negotiation with the American
side, and we are trying that the American forces should go out as soon
as it is possible."

Reporter 1: "When?"

Reporter 2: "What's the timeline?"

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai: "The timeline is not fixed so far, and
it's not agreed upon. But we are negotiating this."

A Taliban official later said the Trump administration has agreed to
pull half of all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the end of April,
though a Pentagon spokesperson later denied the military has received
orders to begin a withdrawal.


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