US, Taliban on verge of withdrawal deal: sources

US and Taliban, at war since 2001, are on verge of agreeing a landmark withdrawal deal to be signed in Qatar, an insurgent source told AFP on Tuesday.

An Afghan official suggested deal could be inked on February 29 in Doha, depending on success of a violence reduction period agreed last week after long negotiations between Washington and jihists.

US wants to reduce its military presence in Afghanistan, which currently numbers between 12,000 and 13,000, with President Donald Trump keen to make good on a promise to bring troops home after 18 years of war.

"All arrangements have been finalised and leership council has given a go ahe signal to Taliban negotiating team," a Taliban source in Pakistan said.

re have been previous false dawns in Afghanistan, with a deal all but complete in September before Trump nixed it at last moment amid continued Taliban violence.

Taliban source said jihists would meet US negotiators in Doha on Sunday to agree a date and location for signing ceremony.

Both sides were close to agreeing to hold ceremony during last week of February, he ded.

"Even last time, we were committed to sign deal, but it was US President Trump's decision to backtrack from what both teams h agreed in Doha," Taliban source said. "( signing) is going to happen this time."

Afghan official suggested ceremony would "take place in Doha if violence reduction period goes smoothly".

Masoud Andarabi, Afghanistan's acting interior minister, said at a workshop in Kabul on Tuesday that violence reduction period "begins in next five days".

Kabul government did t comment on his anuncement.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said Taliban's sincerity in entering violence reduction agreement was unproven.

"That's billion dollar question," Ghani said at Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

But, he ded, "you're t going to find an answer to this question unless you eng in peace process."

Ghani was named on Tuesday winner of Afghanistan's presidential polls held in September 2019. His rival Abdullah Abdullah contested final results, vowing he would form his own parallel government. (AFP) ZH

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