For the first time in 18 years, the US government seems serious about withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan and winding up the longest war in its history.
Since October, US officials and representatives of the Taliban have held five rounds of direct talks and are about to embark on a sixth – aimed at ensuring a safe exit for the US in return for the insurgents guaranteeing that Afghan territory is not used by foreign militants and wouldn't pose a security threat to the rest of the world.
A US-led military coalition overthrew the Taliban in 2001 for sheltering al-Qaeda, the militant group that Washington blamed for the 9/11 attacks.
A rare consensus about resolving the conflict peacefully, both inside and outside Afghanistan, means peace has never been so close.
But the US-Taliban talks in Qatar's capital, Doha, are only the first phase of a complicated process with an uncertain outcome – and there are many hurdles to overcome.
Does there need to be a ceasefire?
Intense fighting is still going on all over the country, and while the Taliban negotiate they now control and influence more territory than at any point since 2001.
Given the continued stalemate with the insurgents, US President Donald Trump is keen to end the war, which, according to US officials, costs about $45bn (£34bn) annually.
His recent indication to withdraw most or all of his 14,000 forces in the near future caught…
