Govt welcomes Taliban’s Eid ceasefire, agrees to observe the truce

The Afghan government on Tuesday night welcomed the Taliban’s decision to call a three-day ceasefire over Eid al-Adha and announced that the Afghan security forces would also observe the truce.

President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter: “The Afghan government welcomes the Taliban’s announcement of a three-day ceasefire during the Eid days. While it is a significant step, the Afghan people ask for a permanent ceasefire and imminent start of direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban.”

He said: “The Afghan government, in order to ensure peace and stability and the realization of the long-standing aspirations of our people has fulfilled all its obligations in the peace process and has left no excuse for the continuation of violence.”

Ghani also instructed all the security and defense forces in the country to observe the three-day ceasefire and not to carry out any operations against the Taliban unless the ceasefire is violated by the group, Sediqqi said.

The European Union’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Roland Kobia also reacted soon after the Taliban’s announcement and welcomed the development. He said it was “a step closer to negotiations.”

He also said the EU encourages the group to extend the ceasefire beyond Eid as the Afghan people not only want peace but also deserve it.

The Taliban on Tuesday evening announced the three-day ceasefire over Eid al-Adha and ordered its fighters to stay out of government-held territory.

In a statement on Twitter, the group said fighters have been ordered not to conduct any attacks on Afghan security forces unless in retaliation against attacks on them.

“The ceasefire will be conducted for Afghan people to enjoy a prosperous and peaceful Eid,” the statement read.

This statement came just hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called on the group to commit to a ceasefire over Eid.

He said a “commitment to a ceasefire during the coming Eid will be an indication of things to come.”

Addressing the fourth Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Kabul on Tuesday, Ghani said that to demonstrate the government’s commitment to peace, they would soon complete the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners in accordance with the US-Taliban agreement signed in Doha earlier this year.

Ghani said that “with this action we look forward to the start of direct negotiations with the Taliban in a week’s time.”

He also called on the Taliban to join the government at the negotiating table and to call for a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.”

A “commitment to a ceasefire during the coming Eid will be an indication of things to come,” he added.

Within hours of Ghani having said this, the Taliban issued their statement on Twitter announcing the three-day ceasefire over Eid al-Adha.