US reaches agreement with Taliban on week-long reduction in violence

The United States has reached an agreement with Afghan Taliban on a week-long reduction in violence that could lead to US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan.

This was stated by a senior US administration official while talking to reporters in Munich.

The official said if the accord holds, it could pave the way for an agreement by the end of this month on US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He said the seven-day period has not yet started but will go into effect soon.

There were no immediate comments on the deal from Ashraf Ghani’s government or Taliban.