Kabul: The US Special Adviser for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad eyes a peace agreement with the Taliban group ahead of presidential elections.

Ambassador Khalilzad cautiously expressed optimism regarding the reconciliation between the Afghan government and Taliban and said he expects a breakthrough until April of 2019, qatar news agency reported. Zalmay Khalilzad’s comments came at a time when the Taliban have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces, whose casualties have reached an unprecedented level.

Since the beginning of 2015, the death toll of the Afghan army and police has reached 30,000.

The US special envoy to Afghanistan is leading diplomatic efforts to persuade the Taliban to engage in negotiations with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.