A peace agreement between the United States and its once sworn enemy, the Taliban, was sealed in two ceremonies, in which the United States agreed to withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with a 31-person Taliban delegation during a historic moment when they shared a stopover in the capital of Qatar, Doha, after 18 years of fighting.
Pompeo, who called it “a memorable day,” gave the Taliban a list of tips to follow to ensure success.
“The United States and the Taliban have suffered decades of hostility and mistrust,” he said.
“Previous talks failed. This effort only became real for the United States when the Taliban expressed interest in pursuing peace and ending relations with al-Qaeda and other foreign terrorist groups.
“They also recognize that military victory was impossible.”
the treat – signed by the US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar – accepts the complete withdrawal of American troops and NATO within 14 months.
In a statement to the White House, US President Donald Trump said he believed that the Afghanistan peace talks “would succeed in the end”.
He added that he would meet with the Taliban leaders face-to-face but insisted that it was “time to bring our people home”.
The United States has also agreed to refrain from using force against Afghanistan or to intervene in its internal affairs.
He also pledged to seek annual funds to train, advise and equip the Afghan security forces.
Included in the offer:
- Complete withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan in 14 months
- Afghan government agrees with UN Security Council to remove Taliban from sanctions list by May 29
- US to reduce troops in Afghanistan to 8,600, down from 13,000 in next three to four months, rest to withdraw in 14 months – subject to Taliban honoring commitments
- US Refrains from Using Force Against Afghanistan’s Territorial Integrity
- The United States will not interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan
- US pledges to seek annual funds to train, advise and equip Afghan security forces
Pompeo said the United States would “closely monitor” the Taliban’s compliance with the agreement and that the pace of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan would be driven by “their actions.”
“This is how we will ensure that Afghanistan is never again used as a base for international terrorists,” he said.
“The negotiation process in Doha, with all its twists and turns, has shown that we can take this step together.”
He said the level of violence in the country in the past seven days has reached its lowest level in the past four years – and that American and Afghan forces “have responded to the reduction in enemy attacks by also respecting the peace”.
“It was not perfect, but the Taliban have shown that even for a week, if they want to be peaceful, they can be,” he said.
He said the Afghan people “rejoice” and “even dance on the streets”, but warned that the deal “will mean nothing if we do not take concrete action on the promises that have been made.”
Speaking at a side event in Kabul, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said: “All the people of Afghanistan look forward to permanent peace.”
He said that “today may be the time to overcome the past” and called for a moment of silence “in honor of our mutually fallen heroes”.
He continued: “The September 11 tragedy has brought us together. Mutual sacrifice has created human bonds between us. Mutual interest, your security and our freedom, maintain our relationship in mutual respect, which has made us partners.”
Calling the relationship “transparent,” he said: “The NATO and US partners have spared neither blood nor treasure in achieving the goals of the partnership.
“We ask you to thank the veterans, especially the families of gold stars, for their service.
“Our sacrifice has been immense … children, young people at their peak and men and women of all ages and all walks of life, whose lives have been swept away by senseless acts of violence in terror and public spaces . “
He added: “We have the political will and the capacity to make peace because of the resilience of our society, the dynamism of our economy and the capacities of our State”.
President George W. Bush ordered the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Within months, the Taliban were defeated, and Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda militants fled to Pakistan.
But the war – which claimed tens of thousands of lives for all parties – lasted for years as the United States attempted to establish a stable and functioning state in one of the least developed countries in the world.
The Taliban have regrouped and currently dominate half the country.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to take the United States out of its “endless wars” in the Middle East – and the peace deal comes as it requests re-election.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said: “I welcome this small but important step towards the possibility for Afghans to live in peace without terrorism.
“We must never forget that much of this has been achieved through the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of the British armed forces.
“I know how proud they are to have played their role and the depth of bond that many of them have forged with the Afghan people during their many tours over the past 18 years.
“With essential training from British and NATO partners, we have witnessed a constant transformation of the Afghan security forces over the past 18 years.
“We remain absolutely determined to build an Afghanistan that will be a solid partner for the decades to come. A safe and stable Afghanistan, which will not again become a haven for terrorism, helps to keep British streets safe.”