Mike Pompeo says US preparing to sign deal with Taliban on February 29

The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on February 21 said that the US-Taliban deal will be signed on February 29 as the authorities are building on an agreement on reducing violence across Afghanistan. The much-awaited peace deal will mark a historic step in more than 19 years of conflict in Afghanistan and it would further also pave the way for a deal that could see the war ended. Pompeo also said that the intra-Afghan negotiations would begin shortly after the signing of the deal which is expected to take place in Doha. 

Pompeo in a statement said, “Upon a successful implementation of this understanding, signing of the US-Taliban agreement is expected to move forward." 

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According to Pompeo, the peace deal will further also build on the fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and the future political roadmap for Afghanistan. Furthermore, he said that the progress made so far had provided hope and also represented a real opportunity.

As reports suggest, after the deal signing, the US troops are further expected to pull out of the South East Asian country within 18 months, that is till August 2021.

READ: US-Taliban Peace Deal Will Commence In 5 Days: Afghan Minister

Taliban no longer seek monopoly of power

However, even after US claimed that its peace accord with the Taliban is almost complete, there has not been any decrease in the intensity of insurgency operations. According to international reports, the Taliban fighters attacked the Afghan government forces overnight and the militant commanders on February 17 said that such operations would continue until they receive new orders from their leadership based on the deal signed with the US to reduce violence in the region. 

The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan with a harsh version of Islamic law from 1996 to 2001 and hosted al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, reportedly said that they no longer seek a monopoly on power, however, the militant group still controls or holds sway over roughly half of the country.

There are also fears that a full withdrawal of some 20,000 NATO troops, including about 12,000 US forces, would leave the Afghan government vulnerable, or unleash another round of fighting in a war that has reportedly killed tens of thousands of Afghans and also claimed the lives of 2,400 US servicemen and women.

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