Deal nears in talks with US: Afghan Taliban

Doha: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed hope that Washington will withdraw many troops from Afghanistan.

Optimism emerged during the five days of talks between the two sides in Qatar, when negotiators argued on individual words and phrases in the draft contract.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said progress has been made in this round to finalize the remaining points.

"Trading can be expected as soon as the remaining points are confirmed," he said.

The United States invaded Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks and neutralized the Taliban.

Washington wants to withdraw thousands of US troops and end the 18-year war, but only if the group abandoned its relationship with al-Qaeda and curbed the attack.

President Domaine Trump could not predict how to end his speech to US war veterans, but said, "We will try to do it right."

"This is a clear guide for me and my military colleagues. We want to take people home as soon as possible, and we want to make sure that no terror happens in the United States again." Pompeo said.

“I believe we can achieve both, and I will respect your efforts and sacrifice in this struggle,” he told the National Legion of the US Legion in Indianapolis.

Against the backdrop of continued violence in Afghanistan, the ninth round of Doha negotiations between the US and the Taliban is underway.

The Taliban allegedly killed seven US soldiers in a convoy near Bagram Airfield in northern Kabul Saturday.

US officials dismissed the claim as a "lie."

On Wednesday, the Pentagon said two US soldiers were killed in a small weapon attack in the province of Faryab in northern Afghanistan.

Shaheen said that death should have a "positive" effect on Doha's conversations. Zalmay Khalilzad, the top US negotiator, tweeted last Monday that Washington would "defend the Afghanistan army with some consensus with the present."

He responded to a proposal that might not apply to a rebel fight against the US-backed Afghanistan government.

He also agreed that all aspects of negotiations would "determine the future of Afghanistan in negotiations in Afghanistan."

Shaheen said "all internal issues" will be discussed at the Afghan talks after the Doha agreement is completed and released.

Washington hopes to begin such negotiations by September 1 ahead of the Afghan poll and the next US presidential election next month.

The four pillars of the Taliban-U.S. Deal are expected to be the withdrawal of foreign troops, a ceasefire, security of counterterrorism and dialogue within Afghanistan.

The Taliban said all agreements with the media and representatives from neighboring countries, including China, Russia and the United Nations, will be announced.

Prime Minister Lim Lan reiterated Pakistan's promise to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table with the United States during his visit to Washington last month.