A “reduction in violence” agreement with the Taliban appeared to hold during its first hours early on February 22, a hopeful initial indication that a peace deal between the United States and the militant group will be signed as expected in a week.
A truce promising a significant reduction in violence across Afghanistan has been overshadowed by a dispute over the country’s presidential election.
A deal between the United States and the Taliban is expected to be signed on February 29 provided a "reduction in violence'" due to enter into force at midnight proves successful, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on February 21.
Asadullah Khalid, a former spy chief and current Afghan defense minister, says his country’s forces are committed to preserving the gains of the past two decades.
While some officials in a restive southern Afghan province say Iran has equipped the Taliban with anti-aircraft missiles, there is still no definitive proof that Tehran is behind the numerous recent downing of U.S. and Afghan airplanes.
Afghan officials say at least five Afghan soldiers were killed when Taliban militants stormed a base in northern Afghanistan, despite expectations for a "reduction in violence" before a U.S.-Taliban deal.
Nicholas Kay, NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, says that both the Afghan security forces and civilians need to see a significant reduction in violence as part of an imminent peace deal between the Taliban and the United States.
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said a deal between the United States and the Taliban on a weeklong reduction of violence in Afghanistan "looks very promising," but warned it was not without risk.
Germany’s president has suggested that Russia and China, along with the United States, were stoking global instability, as he warned of the danger that the three were slipping into a new "great power" competition and nuclear arms race.
U.S. President Donald Trump says there are promising signs that the United States would reach a peace deal with the Taliban by the end of this month.
NATO's training and support mission in Afghanistan and the challenge posed by Russia’s missile systems are expected to top the agenda of the second day of a summit of the alliance’s defense ministers.
The United States has praised the jailing of the alleged mastermind of deadly 2008 attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai as a "step forward" for Pakistan.
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