Trump: Leaving Afghanistan immediately, I'll meet the Taliban.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the departure of American troops from Afghanistan will begin immediately. This statement came after signing the historic agreement with the Taliban, which is expected to end one of the bloodiest wars that began 18 years ago.

“Today. They will start leaving immediately”, the US president said to reporters who were gathered at the White House on Saturday, when asked when the departure of American troops from Afghanistan would begin.

“No one should criticise this agreement after 19 years”, he said, adding that he will meet personally with the leaders of the Taliban in a not too distant future, writes “Free Europe”, the newspaper Express broadcast.

These comments came only hours after the signing of the agreement by the leader of the Taliban political arm, Mullah Abdul Ghan Baradar, and the special envoy of the United States for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad. The pact signing ceremony was held in Qatar's capital, Doha.

Under this agreement, the troops of the United States and NATO allies will withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban respect the pledges given, including the failure to prevent the activities of terrorist groups.

For now, the United States has about 13 thousand soldiers in Afghanistan and has planned to reduce this number immediately to 8600.