Afghan president announces ceasefire with Taliban

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has announced a ceasefire agreement with the Taliban militant group to mark Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, an important festival on the Islamic calendar.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has announced a ceasefire agreement with the Taliban militant group to mark Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, an important festival on the Islamic calendar.

Ghani made the announcement on Sunday in a ceremony celebrating 99 years of independence from the British rule. 

“The conditional ceasefire will start tomorrow and it will continue as long as the Taliban preserves and respects it,” the Afghan president stated. 

“We call on the leadership of the Taliban to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long-lasting and real peace.”

A senior official in Ghani’s office said the “conditional” ceasefire would run for three months. It would only cover the Taliban, the official added, not other groups including the Daesh Takfiri terrorists. Both the Taliban and Daesh are present in Afghanistan.

Reacting to the announcement, Taliban sources said their leaders had also provisionally agreed to a four-day truce during the annual feast of sacrifice. The militant group also said it would free hundreds of prisoners.