A weeklong reduction in violence across Afghanistan, a major condition for the United States to formally sign its initial peace deal with the Taliban, was to go into effect early on Saturday, right after midnight, Afghan officials said on Friday.

The measure, in which all sides are expected to end most attacks in an arrangement that comes close to a ceasefire, is the first step in the rollout of a conditions-based peace deal that lays out a timeline for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
 

A weeklong reduction in violence across Afghanistan, a major condition for the United States to formally sign its initial peace deal with the Taliban, was to go into effect early on Saturday, right after midnight, Afghan officials said on Friday.

The measure, in which all sides are expected to end most attacks in an arrangement that comes close to a ceasefire, is the first step in the rollout of a conditions-based peace deal that lays out a timeline for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.