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US soldiers in the Helmand province of Afghanistan
Photo: WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP
Before the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, US President Donald Trump once again announced a significant reduction in troops in Afghanistan.
Trump said in the White House that the number of US soldiers would be reduced to 4,000 "in a very short time".
Most recently, about 8,600 US soldiers were in Afghanistan.
Trump said no US soldiers had been killed in the country since early February: "Great progress is being made in Afghanistan."
He also announced that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would travel to Doha in the Gulf emirate of Qatar for the peace talks, which are due to begin on Saturday.
"A Historic Opportunity for Afghanistan"
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the peace talks
Pompeo said the talks were "a historic opportunity for Afghanistan to end four decades of war and bloodshed."
He recalled the commitment made by the Afghan government and the Taliban that terrorists on Afghan soil should never again threaten the US or its allies.
The attacks of September 11, 2001 - which will be the 19th anniversary on Friday - triggered the US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
Trump praised his administration for the peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
"The negotiations are a result of my government's courageous diplomatic efforts over the past few months and years," he said.
"The United States will play an important role in bringing the parties together and ending the decades-long war."
Trump also announced further troop reductions in Iraq.
The president said the number of US soldiers there should also be reduced to 2,000 within a "very short time".
The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the US would reduce its troop strength in Iraq from 5200 to around 3000 soldiers.
The US Department of Defense announced that this was made possible by the progress made by the Iraqi army.
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kfr / dpa