But first comes a weeklong test. A seven-day "reduction in violence" period started Friday afternoon Washington time, midnight Saturday Afghanistan time.
The initial agreement to reduce violence is aimed at building confidence ahead of signing a broader peace agreement.
If the reduction in violence holds, U.S. and Taliban negotiators will sign the broader agreement Feb. 29, starting a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops in exchange for Taliban guarantees that Afghanistan will not be used as a base for terrorist attacks against the West.
But that's not the end of the peace process. Intra-Afghan talks will start after the U.S.-Taliban deal signing ‐ a critical stage where the entire process has the potential to collapse.
Many details of the deal and how it will work remain murky. But here are five things to know now about the U.S.-Taliban deal.