A ceasefire, a peace deal and a power-sharing agreement. Is Afghanistan ready for lasting peace? Or will a US troop withdrawal spark new conflict?

Afghanistan remains on edge as a tenuous peace deal between the United States and the Taliban is expected to bring an end to nearly two decades of war.

There was some hope over the Eid holiday, when a 3-day ceasefire was observed by both the Afghan government and the Taliban. This came on the heels of a power-sharing agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and his long-time rival Abdullah Abdullah, after both men claimed victory in last September’s election.

After months of violence, the government and the Taliban began exchanging hundreds of prisoners, as stipulated in the US/Taliban deal signed in Doha in February; the insurgent group agreed to free 1000, mostly Afghan security forces, in exchange for 5000 Taliban prisoners. This paves the way for intra-Afghan negotiations, a much-delayed but critical phase of the Doha agreement.

On the US side, the military drawdown is moving ahead of schedule, with 8600 American troops in Afghanistan and all US forces set to leave by July 2021. But President Trump could order all troops out earlier —before the US elections in November.

So, is the US withdrawal a victory for the Taliban? And can Afghans work together towards a common goal?

Guests:

Fawzia Koofi

Former Deputy Speaker of Afghanistan's Parliament

Kimberly Field

Former Brigadier General in the US Army ​

Mariam Wardak

Co-Founder of Her Afghanistan