Pompeo to meet with Afghan and Taliban talks teams

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to meet negotiators from the Afghan negotiating team and from the Taliban in Doha as recent indications point towards some headway having been made in talks.

The US State Department said late Friday that Pompeo will meet separately with the Afghan government and Taliban negotiation teams in Qatar.

Pompeo will also meet with Qatar’s ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the foreign minister, the State Department said on its public schedule.

Pompeo is currently on a seven-nation tour of Europe and the Middle East.

This comes after the Pentagon said earlier this week it plans to reduce troop levels from about 4,500 to 2,500 by January.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to end “forever wars,” including in Afghanistan.