The US today signed a historic agreement with the Taliban, paving the way for the process of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in the next 14 months.

The agreement was signed in Qatar's capital Doha between US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also present to witness the signing ceremony.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper meanwhile went to Afghanistan's capital, Kabul. Experts say the trip appears to be reassuring the Afghan government of its commitment to the country.

For President Donald Trump, the deal is evidence that he is working hard to fulfill the promise of bringing American soldiers home. But security experts say this is a foreign policy gamble as it will bring international legitimacy to the Taliban.

"Today is a big day for Afghanistan," the US Embassy in Kabul wrote on Twitter. "It's all about achieving peace and building a brighter future. We are always with Afghanistan."

Hours before the deal, the Taliban ordered all militants in Afghanistan "to curb all attacks ... for the welfare of the nation".

"The most important thing is that we hope the United States will remain committed to its promises throughout the negotiation process as well as in the peace agreement," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said.

For millions of Afghans, the deal gives hope to put an end to the war that has lasted more than 18 years.

"Peace is an extremely simple thing and the country I deserve it. Today is the day we will probably see a positive change," said Javed Hassan, 38, a suburban teacher. Kabul, said.

Hassan's children were killed in a Taliban bombing in 2018. Since then, he has been writing letters to world leaders ever since, urging them to end the war in Afghanistan.

The Afghan battlefield is by far the longest in America, killing some 2,400 American soldiers since 2001, when Washington decided to send troops to the country after the September 11 terrorist attacks. At least 20 US soldiers were killed in Afghanistan in 2019, the largest number since the US announced a cessation of military operations in 2014. The Pentagon maintains about 13,000 troops in Afghanistan.