AFGHANISTAN
Afghan peace deal would see U.S. troop numbers slashed
August 8, 2019 - A peace deal between the Taliban and the United States is expected to be finalised within weeks. America will pull troops out of Afghanistan and in return the Taliban will sever ties to transnational terrorist groups like Al Qaeda.
U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said the latest round of peace talks had made “excellent progress” towards an agreement that would allow America to bring its troops home.
The talks held in Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office, could see an end to the nearly 18-year Afghan war, which has cost the U.S. $975 billion, including estimates for 2019.