Media: the United States and the Taliban have made progress on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

It is reported by Reuters, citing unnamed representatives of the movement.

According to the agency, US Secretary of State for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who participated in the negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar, will go to Afghanistan to inform the president of the country Ashraf Ghani about the negotiations.

It is noted that the agreement provides for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country 18 months after the signing and formal approval of the agreement. For their part, the Taliban promise that the territory of Afghanistan will not be used as a base by the terrorist groups Al-Qaeda ** and the Islamic State ***.

In December 2018, the media reported that the United States could reduce its military contingent in Afghanistan.

Director of the Center for the Study of the Countries of the Middle East and Central Asia, Semen Bagdasarov, in an interview with NSN, said that the US military contingent in Afghanistan should be increased, since the local authorities are not coping with the Taliban.

* “Taliban” - an organization recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 14, 2003.

** Al-Qaida - an organization recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 14, 2003.

*** "Islamic State" (IG) - the organization is recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2014.