Taliban, Afghan govt declare 3-day ceasefire for Eid; US peace envoy calls it 'momentous'

Extremist group Taliban and Afghan government have anunced a three-day Eid ceasefire starting from May 24 to mark end of Islamic fasting month of Ramzan. joint move came amid an escalation of armed conflicts between both sides despite ‘momentous’ signing of US-Taliban peace deal which was expected to pave way for a dialogue between Taliban and Afghan government. insurgent group’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid h me anuncement on Twitter called for ‘offensive operations’ to be stopped ‘solely’ for Eid festivities.

Even though troops on both sides were expected to cease war during ‘violence reduction’ period after peace agreement involving US, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has welcomed Taliban anuncement. He took to Twitter and said that as Commander-in-Chief of army he has instructed m to ‘defend only if attacked’. This comes after Taliban rejected Afghan government’s call for a ceasefire for Ramzan and called it ‘t rational’. 

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'Momentous opportunity'

This is only second time that both sides have agreed to t carry out any attacks and maintain a temporary truce since 2001. United States peace envoy Zalmay Khalilz reportedly h travelled to Kabul and Doha just days before three-day ceasefire was anunced. He has welcomed declaration as “momentous opportunity”. Earlier, Khalilz reportedly h urged both Taliban and Afghanistan government to refrain from violence and move ahe with peace negotiations.

According to an international news ncy, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s main intelligence and security office in Kabul Javid Faisal said on May 23 that at least 146 civilians have been killed during Raman and 430 were injured as Taliban ramped-up its attacks. Moreover, since United States inved ongoing conflict in 2001, re has only been one or ceasefire anuncement in 2018 between Taliban and Afghan government for religious festival, Eid.

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Im Source: AP