US-Taliban Peace Deal Closer Than Ever, Important Step Toward Afghan Peace - NATO

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US-Taliban peace deal is now closer than ever and NATO will continue to support efforts to find a lasting peaceful solution in Afghanistan, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday.

"NATO will continue to support efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated solution. We have seen a very significant reduction in violence in recent days and therefore we are very close to signing an agreement between the United States and Taliban. This will be the first but very important step to finding lasting peace agreement in Afghanistan", Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Brussels.

The US and Taliban are set to sign a peace agreement Saturday after a seven-day reduction of violence is observed in the country.

In this photo taken on August 5, 2011, US troops from the Charlie Company, 2-87 Infantry, 3d Brigade Combat Team under Afghanistan's International Security Assistance Force patrols Kandalay village following Taliban attacks on a joint US and Afghan National Army checkpoint protecting the western area of Kandalay village.

© AFP 2023 / Romeo Gacad

Since 2018, Washington and the Taliban movement have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal that would ensure the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in exchange for a guarantee that the country would not become a base for terrorists. However, the talks were declared "dead" in September, after the militants claimed responsibility for an attack that killed a US serviceman.