US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad,left,and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar,the Taliban group's top political leader sign a peace agreement.Credit:
The deal was signed in the Qatari capital Doha by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on hand to witness the ceremony.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper meanwhile travelled to Kabul on a visit that officials and experts said was aimed at reassuring the Afghan government about the United States'commitment to the country.
For US President Donald Trump,the deal represents a chance to make good on his promise to bring US troops home. But security experts have also called it a foreign policy gamble that would give the Taliban international legitimacy.
"Today is a monumental day for Afghanistan,"the US Embassy in Kabul said on Twitter."It is about making peace and crafting a common brighter future. We stand with Afghanistan."
From left,U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.Credit:
Hours before the deal,the Taliban ordered all its fighters in Afghanistan"to refrain from any kind of attack ... for the happiness of the nation."
"The biggest thing is that we hope the US remain committed to their promises during the negotiation and peace deal,"said Zabiullah Mujahid,a spokesman for the hardline Islamist group.