A week-long “reduction in violence” between the Taliban, the United States and Afghan security forces is in place in neighbouring Afghanistan, raising hopes of a resolution to the 18-year-long conflict. The agreement struck during negotiations between US and Taliban representatives, if maintained, could secure a peace deal that would lead to a withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan. The world community has greeted the move describing it as a positive movement towards realization of goal of sustainable peace in Afghanistan. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that upon successful implementation of the agreement, the US would move to sign a peace deal with the Taliban on February 29. Soon after his announcement, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the development and said both sides will invite senior representatives to take part in the peace deal “signing ceremony”, may be at Doha, Qatar. Reduction in violence was a sort of pre-condition imposed by Washington and its actual implementation is a clear indication that Taliban are fully cooperating to grab an opportunity for peace in Afghanistan. This time the possibility of some concrete outcome is there as the temporary truce is nationwide and the Afghan Government is also on board as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also announced beginning of the reduction in violence (RIV) adding the army will “remain on active defence status during the week”. This effectively means all the three main stakeholders – Taliban, Afghan Government and the United States – are committed to the idea of temporary ceasefire but the ground situation in Afghanistan is very complicated and apprehensions are being expressed that anything could happen during the intervening period. There are, of course, forces inimical to peace and they might conspire to derail the peace process, a possibility that calls for utmost vigilance and restraint by all sides. This is because details of the prospective accord raise hopes for sustainable peace as two fundamental issues – total withdrawal of American forces and a commitment by Taliban not to allow use of Afghan soil for attacks on other countries. The agreement between the United States and the Taliban would create a 135-day timetable for a US drawdown in Afghanistan and call for a complete withdrawal within three to five years. It would also kick-start negotiations including the Taliban and the Afghan government next month. Peace is, therefore, in sight but actual realization of the goal depends much on the kind of power sharing arrangement and whether the US would resist the temptation to meddle into purely internal affairs of Afghanistan during its extended stay there.
