Afghan government to attend rival U.S.- and Russia-backed peace talks

The Afghan government has confirmed its participation in two peace conferences backed separately by the U.S. and Russia, the country's national security council said on Saturday.

The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the U.S.-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said.

The announcement came ahead of a May 1 deadline for the complete withdrawal of U.S.-led foreign troops from Afghanistan as negotiated by former American President Donald Trump's administration in a controversial deal signed with the Taliban in February last year.