Donald Trump sends Mike Pompeo to sign US-Taliban peace deal

New Delhi : The US President Donald Trump has said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be attending the signing of US-Taliban peace agreement, which could be one step forward to ultimate US troops withdrawal and lasting peace in Afghanistan.

The officials from US and Afghanistan are likely to sign the deal in Qatari capital city of Doha on Saturday.

"If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home," Trump said in a statement released by the White House on Friday.

Donald Trump also announced that apart from Pompeo US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan, without any elaboration on details.

Trump urged the Afghan people to "seize this opportunity for peace and a new future" for their country, saying that "ultimately it will be up to the people of Afghanistan to work out their future".

Trump has long grumbled about the US military presence in Afghanistan, calling it "ridiculous".