Ceasefire in Afghanistan to Start Wednesday at Midnight

A three-day nationwide ceasefire between the Afghan government and the Taliban is expected to begin on midnight Wednesday.

The Taliban’s spokesman told TOLOnews that the ceasefire is not to continue after the three days of Eid-ul-Fitr, which begins on Thursday.

However, the public has urged the Taliban to agree to a permanent ceasefire and stop their violence against the Afghan government forces after Eid.

Farid Ahmad serves in the ranks of the Afghan National Police (ANP) and has in recent months been busy fighting the Taliban in the outskirts of Kunduz province. But the reciprocal ceasefire between the Afghan govt and the Taliban has provided a chance for the embattled soldiers to breathe and enjoy the calm for a few days.

“We are happy if the ceasefire is extended, but we are fully prepared to defend and will fight against the enemies until our last drop of our blood,” said Farid Ahmad, an Afghan National Police soldier in Kunduz.

“I don’t think that this ceasefire will be extended as it is not based on an agreement,” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban commander.

“Increased violence creates mistrust and hatred among the Afghan people about the peace process,” said Fawzia Koofi, a member of the peace negotiating team representing the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in the talks with the Taliban.

On Monday, the Taliban instructed its fighters to observe a three-day ceasefire during Eid.

Later on, President Ashraf Ghani in a statement also instructed all Afghan forces to observe the ceasefire during the three days of Eid, but he reiterated that the Taliban’s violence has no legitimacy as international troops are leaving the country.

Previously, the US Department of State, the Afghan government, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and the UN mission in Afghanistan have called on the Taliban to extend the ceasefire.

This is the third time that the Taliban has agreed to a ceasefire during the three days of Eid.