KABUL: The US and the Taliban appeared close on Wednesday to sealing a deal for an American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reported “notable progress” in negotiations and a senior Taliban official said violence could be slashed in the coming days.

Washington and the militants have been locked in gruelling talks that have stretched over more than a year for an agreement that would see the US pull thousands of troops from Afghanistan in a bid to end America’s longest war.

In return, the Taliban would provide various security guarantees and launch eventual talks with the Kabul government.

President Ghani said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had called him to inform him of developments in the talks, which are taking place in Doha. “Today, I was pleased to receive a call from @SecPompeo, informing me of the notable progress made in the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban,” he said on his official Twitter account late on Tuesday.

“The secretary informed me about the Taliban’s proposal with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence.”

A Taliban source said that negotiators would meet again in Doha, while another Taliban official suggested the group was poised to reduce attacks.

“If the deal is signed, the Taliban will start a reduction of violence on Friday,” the official in Afghanistan said, adding that the militants were working to bring any Taliban splinter groups into line.

Citing Afghan and US officials, the New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump had given conditional approval to a deal with the Taliban.

The two foes have been on the brink of a breakthrough before, with a deal all but complete in September before Trump nixed it at the last moment amid continued Taliban violence.

The Times said Trump would only give final approval to the deal if the Taliban stuck to a reduction in violence of “about seven days later this month”. A Taliban source said the group had agreed to the proposal.

He said to all intents and purposes, this would be a ceasefire, but it could not be named that because of various “complications”. The only other time there has been a Taliban ceasefire since the 2001 US-led invasion was in 2018.

Nato chief Jens Stolten­berg on Wednesday welcomed apparent progress towards a deal in Afgha­nistan but warned the militants must reduce attacks.

“We would welcome any step that can lead to the reduction of violence,” he said as he arrived for a meeting of Nato defence ministers. “The Taliban have to demonstrate a real will and ability to deliver a reduction in violence to make it possible to have any progress towards a lasting peace in Afghanistan,” he added.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2020