BRUSSELS – NATO Chief On A Visit To Afghanistan. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is visiting Afghanistan on Saturday. This come as the United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal in Doha.
According to a statement issued by NATO, Stoltenberg will participate in a Kabul media conference later Saturday. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper are with him. He will also meet the head of the US and NATO forces General Scott Miller. As well as other commanders of the alliance’s training mission there.
US and the Taliban came together after 19 years to sign a peace deal today. Meanwhile, the deal will see the withdrawal of thousands of US troops from Afghanistan in a 14-month time.
Representatives from US and Taliban signed the deal today in Doha. This marks the end of the longest war-engagement in US history. Almost two decades of conflict in Afghanistan that led to the death of thousands and trillions of dollars lost. NATO Chief On A Visit To Afghanistan.
The signing ceremony occurred today in Doha. Representatives and diplomats from 50 countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, US, and India attended. Senior Taliban leaders along with US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also attended. Meanwhile, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi represented Pakistan at the ceremony.
This deal will pave way for US troop numbers to drop to 8,600 from about 13,000 in the weeks following the deal. Prior to the deal, Taliban commanders said the group will release 1000 Afghan prisoners as well.