File Photo: A U.S. soldier holds his rifle in front of a U.S. flag during a Memorial Day observance ceremony at the Bagram airbase, north of Kabul May 25, 2009. (Xinhua/REUTERS)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed optimism about negotiations in Afghanistan, days after a U.S. envoy touted "significant progress" in talks with the Taliban.
"Negotiating are proceeding well in Afghanistan after 18 years of fighting," said Trump in a tweet.
Trump's comment came days after U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad wrapped up his six-day talks with the Taliban representatives in Qatar's capital Doha and applauded on Saturday "significant progress on vital issues."
"We will soon see if talks will be successful?" Trump added in another tweet on Wednesday.
Media reports said that the United States, in the talks with Taliban, had agreed to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and the armed group would announce a cease-fire after the White House declares a timetable for pulling out its the troops.
Analysts, however, said there are still no clear signs showing that the Taliban has agreed to U.S. demands.
There are about 14,000 U.S. troops currently deployed in Afghanistan, and the Trump administration reportedly planned to bring half of them home.
The death toll of U.S. service members in Afghanistan has surpassed 2,400 since the United States invaded the country in 2001.
