The countdown to the signing of a peace agreement between the Taliban and the United States on Feb. 29 to end the 18 years of war in Afghanistan will begin at midnight Friday, when a seven-day "reduction of violence" promised by the Taliban goes into effect, an Afghan official said.
After that weeklong period, the long-sought peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban will be signed in Doha, Qatar, paving the way for a withdrawal of U.S. troops and intra-Afghan negotiations, a senior U.S. State Department official said The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the deal and its details. .
