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Taliban: US Has Agreed to Full Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - The Taliban says the United States has promised during
   negotiations to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan.ã

   The announcement comes as a crucial round of peace talks between the
   two adversaries in the 17-year-old Afghan war is expected to take place
   in Qatar in the next few days.ã

   There was no immediate U.S. reaction to the insurgent assertions.ã

   The nearly year-long U.S.-Taliban dialogue process has been under fire
   and skepticism for not making any headway toward ending the conflict.ã

   The criticism has prompted Suhail Shaheen, who speaks for the
   negotiating team of the insurgent group, to defend the peace process,
   saying the U.S. side has accepted a key Taliban demand.ã

   "American has agreed during the negotiations that they will withdraw
   all their troops and promised not to interfere in Afghanistan in
   future. This is a good progress," Shaheen tweeted Tuesday.ã

   U.S. chief negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, has acknowledged the
   discussions with insurgent envoys have focused on the troop withdrawal
   and Taliban's counterterrorism assurances.ã

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