The Taliban welcomed the news of President Trump’s plan to withdraw half of US troops in Afghanistan by the summer, while Afghan generals warned Friday it would be a blow to the morale of the country’s beleaguered security forces.

The announcement seemed certain to complicate efforts to reach a peace deal, mostly because it gives the Taliban leverage.

“I believe the Taliban will see this as a reason to stall, and therefore it disincentivizes the Taliban to actually talk to the Afghan government,” said Bill Roggio, an Afghanistan analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

With AP