Taliban Agrees to Reset Cease-Fire as Talks Continue

United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday revealed that he and General Scott Miller, the commander of US forces in the country, had reached a renewed agreement with the insurgent Taliban group, by which the terrorist organization would commit once again to hold its fire for the duration of the peace talks currently under way in Doha. Representatives of the Taliban and Afghan government have in recent weeks conducted on and off negotiations over a power-sharing formula, after the U.S. agreed earlier this year to gradually withdraw all of its troops from the war-torn nation. Yet, repeated attacks by Taliban fighters on Afghan troops and civilians, last week centered in the southern province of Helmand, have threatened to derail the peace efforts. “We agreed to reset actions by strictly adhering to implementation of all elements of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made,” Zalmay said.