<p>The Taliban welcomed the latest withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan with the insurgents' spokesman Saturday calling the continued reduction of American forces a "good advancement" even as fighting raged across the war-weary country.</p>.<p>The Taliban's statement came just hours after the Pentagon announced it had cut troop levels in Afghanistan to 2,500, their lowest numbers during the nearly two decades of fighting.</p>.<p>Washington struck a deal with the Taliban in Qatar last year to begin withdrawing its troops in return for security guarantees from the militants and a commitment to peace talks with Kabul.</p>.<p>Those talks are ongoing but have stalled amid violence and allegations of slow progress.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the Taliban has continued its lethal assaults on Afghan security forces and civilians alike.</p>.<p>"The withdrawal of other US forces from Afghanistan, which was announced by the US yesterday, is a good advancement and practical measure," tweeted Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem.</p>.<p>"Undoubtedly, the practice of the agreement signed between the IEA and the US is in the benefit of both countries and nations," he added, referring to the Taliban's official acronym.</p>.<p>Outgoing President Donald Trump, seeking to fulfil a campaign promise to end the US wars launched in Afghanistan and Iraq after the 9/11 attacks, had ordered force levels to be slashed in both countries to that level by January 15 -- despite initial pushback from the Pentagon.</p>.<p>Both the Taliban and the Afghan government, however, are anxiously eyeing the arrival of President-elect Joe Biden in Washington and any new policy directions that might be implemented by the incoming administration.</p>.<p>The US invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban regime then in place had hosted Al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden.</p>.<p>The regime was quickly toppled but launched an insurgency and in recent years have seen a resurgence, with violence soaring across the country since NATO withdrew its combat forces in 2014 and civilians paying a disproportionate price.</p>.<p>Earlier Saturday Afghan officials said two Taliban fighters had infiltrated a base of pro-government Afghan militiamen in western Herat province, killing 12 security forces.</p>.<p>And in a separate incident, a vehicle carrying police was struck by a roadside bomb in the Afghan capital Kabul, which killed two policemen and wounded one other.</p>
<p>The Taliban welcomed the latest withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan with the insurgents' spokesman Saturday calling the continued reduction of American forces a "good advancement" even as fighting raged across the war-weary country.</p>.<p>The Taliban's statement came just hours after the Pentagon announced it had cut troop levels in Afghanistan to 2,500, their lowest numbers during the nearly two decades of fighting.</p>.<p>Washington struck a deal with the Taliban in Qatar last year to begin withdrawing its troops in return for security guarantees from the militants and a commitment to peace talks with Kabul.</p>.<p>Those talks are ongoing but have stalled amid violence and allegations of slow progress.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the Taliban has continued its lethal assaults on Afghan security forces and civilians alike.</p>.<p>"The withdrawal of other US forces from Afghanistan, which was announced by the US yesterday, is a good advancement and practical measure," tweeted Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem.</p>.<p>"Undoubtedly, the practice of the agreement signed between the IEA and the US is in the benefit of both countries and nations," he added, referring to the Taliban's official acronym.</p>.<p>Outgoing President Donald Trump, seeking to fulfil a campaign promise to end the US wars launched in Afghanistan and Iraq after the 9/11 attacks, had ordered force levels to be slashed in both countries to that level by January 15 -- despite initial pushback from the Pentagon.</p>.<p>Both the Taliban and the Afghan government, however, are anxiously eyeing the arrival of President-elect Joe Biden in Washington and any new policy directions that might be implemented by the incoming administration.</p>.<p>The US invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban regime then in place had hosted Al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden.</p>.<p>The regime was quickly toppled but launched an insurgency and in recent years have seen a resurgence, with violence soaring across the country since NATO withdrew its combat forces in 2014 and civilians paying a disproportionate price.</p>.<p>Earlier Saturday Afghan officials said two Taliban fighters had infiltrated a base of pro-government Afghan militiamen in western Herat province, killing 12 security forces.</p>.<p>And in a separate incident, a vehicle carrying police was struck by a roadside bomb in the Afghan capital Kabul, which killed two policemen and wounded one other.</p>