Taliban and US negotiators have wrapped up their latest round of talks for a deal that would see America shrink its troop presence in Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman said Monday.

According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the eighth round of talks, which had been taking place in Doha, finished after midnight.

"Work was tedious & effective. Both sides agreed to consult their respective leaderships for next steps," he wrote on Twitter.

There was no immediate comment from the US embassy in Kabul.

On Sunday, US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted: "I hope this is the last Eid where Afghanistan is at war," referring to the Eid al-Adha festival currently taking place in the Muslim world.

Speculation has reached fever pitch in Kabul in recent days that an announcement about a US-Taliban deal may be imminent.

The US has been negotiating with its longtime foe over the past year for a pact that would see the Pentagon begin to withdraw its 14,000 troops from Afghanistan.

Washington is keen to end its 18-year involvement in Afghanistan, where it has spent more than $1 trillion, and President Donald Trump has said he wants troops out.

In return, the Taliban would commit to various security guarantees, including that the Islamist hardliners who long harboured Al-Qaeda would not allow Afghanistan to become a jihadist safe haven.

A US-Taliban agreement would not in itself bring Afghanistan's war to an end, as the insurgents would still need to make a deal with the Kabul government.

Many Afghans had been hoping for a ceasefire to be announced over Eid. This has not happened, but recent days have been relatively calm.

On Monday, Afghanistan's intelligence service announced 35 Taliban prisoners would be released "as a gesture of goodwill".

"The release of these prisoners is a clear sign of the strong will of the government for peace and end to war", the agency said in a statement.

The Taliban and Afghan security forces periodically release enemy prisoners.

Afghans prepare for Eid, hope for peace
Jalalabad, Afghanistan (AFP) Aug 9, 2019 - At a bustling outdoor market in the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad, farmers tend to long-haired goats and customers choose an animal to slaughter for the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.

But a key question looms over preparations: is peace about to come to Afghanistan, or will four decades of war continue unabated?

"We are thirsty for peace in Afghanistan. Every day, large numbers of our people are getting killed," local resident Sayed Jan said. "We are celebrating Eid with sad news."

Like many Afghans, Jan remembers well a short ceasefire between Taliban and Afghan forces during last year's Eid al-Fitr, another key Muslim festival, when the wartime foes put down guns and exchanged greetings.

This year, the United States and the Taliban are widely believed to be in the final stretch of a push for a deal that would see America quit Afghanistan in return for various Taliban guarantees.

However, even as the negotiations have appeared to progress, the battlefield and civilian toll has continued to climb, with July the deadliest month for more than two years, and it remains unclear when a ceasefire might come.

A much-anticipated Eid greeting from the Taliban's top leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Thursday made no mention of the truce that many Afghans long for.

"The Taliban should sit with the Afghan government for a peace agreement and they should announce a ceasefire during Eid," said Hamim Sadiq, another local resident.

"The Afghan people should celebrate Eid in peace. We have lost everything during more than 40 years of war."

Jalalabad is one part of Afghanistan that has suffered deeply. Aside from Taliban fighting, the Islamic State group has maintained a stubborn presence here since 2015 and the city has been the scene of frequent attacks.

On Wednesday, at the market in Jalalabad, customers examined the wide selection of goats, which ranged in size and colour. Some had been daubed bright pink, while others had lanky black hair.

Within a few days, all will be slaughtered and eaten for the annual Eid al-Adha festival.

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