Pompeo says US-Taliban deal to include timeline for troops withdrawal, intra-Afghan negotiations

Washington will sign a deal with Afghan Taliban "on or about February 29th" only after a successful implementation of a week-long violence reduction beginning Saturday in Afghanistan, Pompeo told reporters at a State Department press conference.

The agreement "includes a timeline for both a conditions-based and phased troop withdrawal, and for the commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations," the top US diplomat noted.

These negotiations, if taking place, will be "the first time that Afghans representing all sides of the conflict will sit down together and begin the hard work of reconciliation," Pompeo added.

Under the plan, US military presence in Afghanistan, which began in 2001 and has been called "ridiculous " by President Donald Trump, will be reduced to 8,600 troops from the current 12,000 to 13,000 over the course of 135 days, reported the CNN news channel citing two sources familiar with the deal.

Washington announced last week that a deal with Taliban is expected to be signed on Feb. 29 without disclosing the location of the signing.

Peace talks between the two sides began in 2018 but were interrupted at least twice due to Taliban attacks on US military personnel in September and December last year.

Zabiullah Mujahid, a purported Taliban spokesman, tweeted Friday that the finalized accord is expected to be signed in the presence of "senior representatives of numerous countries and organizations."