On Sunday, the Taliban stated they would agree to a temporary nationwide cease-fire, making room for a peace agreement with the United States.

Taliban chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has yet to approve the agreement, but sources told the Associated Press that the cease-fire is expected to last at least ten days.

There has been no response from Washington.

The cease fire had been proposed by U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad during the last round of peace negotiations.

A key pillar of any lasting peace agreement, which the U.S. and Taliban have been working out for over a year, is direct negotiations between Afghans on both sides of the conflict.

The U.S. also wants guarantees that Afghanistan will never again be used as a training grounds, or a launching site for terrorists - such as al-Quaida prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S..

Other issues include rights of women, free speech, and changes to the country's constitution. 

Current U.S. peace envoy Khalilzad has been holding peace talks with the religious militia since September, 2018.

The cease fire comes following a deadly week in Afghanistan. 

A Taliban strike in Takhar province in northern Afghanistan, killed at least 17 local militiamen, Sunday. 

In the week prior, an American soldier and at least 24 Afghan troops were killed in other attacks on northern provinces.

The U.S. has an estimated 12,000 troops currently in Afghanistan.