Trump: I'd Pull Troops if U.S., Afghan Taliban Reached Peace Deal
Voice of America
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would bring all American troops home from Afghanistan if there was a peace deal with the Taliban.
Trump's comments at the White House came days after it emerged the U.S. and the insurgent group had agreed on a draft framework of a peace deal aimed at ending the 17-year Afghan conflict.
Following several days of talks with the Taliban in Doha, Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, said the two sides had agreed "in principle" on a framework that would bind the insurgents to prevent transnational terrorist outfits, including al-Qaida and Islamic State, from using Afghan soil for attacks against America and its allies, as well as neighbors of Afghanistan.
In exchange, the U.S. would withdraw its troops from the country but would require the Taliban to observe a cease-fire and open dialogue with the Afghan government.
The Taliban said the two sides were set to continue talks next month. While the insurgent group has been holding talks with U.S. officials, it so far has refused to meet with representatives of the government in Kabul.