The Taliban said yesterday it was close to an agreement on a deal that would see US forces withdraw from Afghanistan in exchange for a promise that the country would not become a haven for international militants.

Negotiations over how to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan have been held in Doha, capital of Qatar, since late last year.

“We hope to have good news soon for our Muslim, independence-seeking nation,” said Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Doha.

US officials engaged in talks were not immediately available for comment.

A senior security official in Kabul said the Taliban and US officials had agreed on a timeline of about 14 to 24 months for the withdrawal of the US forces.

Details would be shared with the Afghan government before they were made public, the official said.

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