Under draft peace accord, U.S. would withdraw 5,400 troops from Afghanistan
As the special U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan appeared on television Monday to share details on the U.S.-Taliban draft peace accord, a car bomb went off in Kabul, killing at least five civilians and wounding 50. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and said it targeted foreign forces.
The U.S. diplomat, Zalmay Khalilzad, was in Kabul to go over the deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. There are now 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and under the accord, nearly 5,400 would leave the country within the next five months. In exchange, the Taliban would make sure that militant groups do not use Afghanistan as a base for attacks against the United States and its allies.
The peace talks have been taking place in Qatar, and Khalilzad said President Trump still has to give the final approval. The Taliban has had a resurgence in Afghanistan in recent years, and the BBC found in 2018 that the militants are active in 70 percent of the country.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
LeBron, Bronny James make dad-son NBA debut
Speed Read Basketball star LeBron James and his son LeBron Jr. made history by playing together in the Lakers' preseason game
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel marks Oct. 7 attack, hits Lebanon, Gaza
Speed Read It has been one year since Hamas attacked Israel festival goers, sparking an escalating conflict in the Middle East
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Florida braces for Milton as FEMA tackles Helene, lies
Speed Read A flurry of misinformation has been spread about the federal response to Hurricane Helene
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published