“The reduction in violence will start from 22 February and will last for one week,” Afghanistan’s National Security Council spokesman Javed Faisal told AFP. Afghan officials have said the US-Taliban deal could be finalised on February 29 in Doha, assuming the reduction in violence proceeds to plan. ‘It’s happening’A second Taliban official in Pakistan told AFP the reduction in violence might not start until Sunday. The Taliban leadership council has basically given a green light to start the reduction in violence and sign the deal,” the official said, adding, “it’s happening”. “We have got the orders from our leadership that reduction in violence period will start from Saturday, and we have been ordered to be ready for it,” the source said.

Source: Pakistan Today February 21, 2020 09:00 UTC