US upbeat on Taliban peace, warns Afghan leaders

United States voiced optimism Tuesday about reaching an accord to end war in Afghanistan as a partial truce held with Taliban, warning rival leers in Kabul government t to scuttle "ermous opportunity."

United States plans to sign an agreement with Taliban on Saturday in Qatar if week-long truce holds. Four days in, number of Taliban attacks has fallen dramatically.

"So far reduction in violence is working -- imperfect, but it's working," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference in Washington.

"We're on cusp of an ermous, ermous political opportunity," he said.

historic deal would see US withdraw thousands of troops, winding down America's longest war which was launched after September 11, 2001 attacks but has grown increasingly unpopular at home.

Taliban would n open negotiations with internationally recognized government in Kabul, which Islamist militants have refused to recognize.

But ministration is in disarray, with President Ashraf Ghani last week declared winner of a new term in elections but his chief rival, Abdullah Abdullah, rejecting results and vowing to form his own government.

United States has conspicuously t congratulated Ghani, in contrast to European Union and Kabul government's regional ally India.

In a statement Tuesday, State Department said only that it "tes" election anuncement. It said Ghani h agreed to postpone his inauguration which was scheduled on Thursday.

Abdullah's spokesman, Fraidoon Khwazoon, told AFP that both Abdullah and Ghani were delaying swearing-in ceremonies planned for Thursday by two weeks.

Asked about election, Pompeo said US wanted to make sure results were "free and fair and accurate" and warned against "any one small group" blocking peace process.

"re are those with an ermous vested interest in status quo," Pompeo said, characterizing current situation as "bloodshed, tears, ecomic challenges." "We want to make sure that... all people who have an interest -- wher that's because of corruption of because of some ideological view -- cant spoil what it is that Afghan people so richly deserve," he said.

Ghani, while saying he hopes for peace with Taliban, was critical as diplomacy gared steam last year, especially over militants' refusal to recognize Kabul government.

President Donald Trump has called Afghan war a waste of blood and treasure and his ministration has called truce a test of wher Taliban can make good on its promises.

key US demand remains same from 2001 -- that Taliban t allow Afghan territory to be used by Al-Qaeda, or w Islamic State extremists, to plan international attacks.

Pompeo rejected a question on wher a US withdrawal would jeopardize rights of women, who under Taliban's ultra-austere 1996-2001 regime were forbidden from education and forced to wear all-encompassing burqas in public.

"Our mission-set re has been much broer than that," Pompeo said.

He voiced confidence that "voices all across Afghan political spectrum" including women "will go into ultimate solution." US General Scott Miller, commander of NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, also saw partial truce succeeding.

"We're seeing what we would call a downward trend in violence, which is great for Afghan people. It's great for country of Afghanistan," he said in a statement.

Speaking on condition of anymity, an Afghan security source told AFP Taliban attacks h dropped from an aver of 75 a day to about 15 since truce began on February 22.

But underscoring fragility of situation, interior ministry said five security personnel were killed in three attacks in rural areas Tuesday.

US forces also forces anunced deaths of four Islamic State members in two airstrikes in Kunar province.