Ceasefire, but still no peace
Afghans are enjoying a break from spiralling violence triggered by the beginning of the withdrawal of foreign forces this month, but the three-day ceasefire, intended as a goodwill gesture, is also fuelling frustration among many that the Taliban and the Afghan government are unable to reach a deal that would end the conflict permanently.
The ceasefire, which has largely held – apart from a bombing at a mosque just outside Kabul, which the Taliban denied involvement in – demonstrates that both sides are capable of largely pausing violence, but it does not bring the Taliban and the government any closer to a peace agreement. Many Afghans fear that once violence resumes, it will only increase.
As Taliban fighters have pushed forward in the past few weeks, government-controlled areas around provincial capitals and towns have shrunk. In Kunduz, gunfire is nearly constant, audible almost everywhere in the city every day and night, despite the ceasefire.
Many Afghans welcome any cessation in clashes. ‘‘If the bloodshed stops even for an hour,’’ said Bismillah Watandost, a member of the Afghanistan Peace Movement, ‘‘it is a gain for Afghans.’’
Others hope the ceasefire can
build momentum for a longer halt in the violence. ‘‘Violence has been horrific in recent weeks, and the Afghan people have paid the price,’’ said United States special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.
The ceasefire was declared by the Taliban to mark the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday, and ‘‘provide a peaceful and secure atmosphere’’ so Afghans could celebrate with ‘‘a greater peace of mind’’, according to a statement
posted on Twitter by Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the group.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani quickly reciprocated the Taliban’s announcement by calling for a halt to offensive operations. But he also repeated calls for an enduring end to the violence.
This is the third ceasefire declared to mark a holiday in the past three years.
The first was unprecedented, and allowed Taliban fighters to travel into government-held cities and towns. But the move resulted in large numbers of Taliban defections, and the ceasefires that have followed have come with orders for Taliban fighters to remain in Taliban territory and not interact with Afghan troops.
The three days of Eid are celebrated by many Afghans by receiving relatives in their homes and travelling to visit family in their provinces of origin. The expansion of Taliban control along Afghanistan’s highways and the recent rise in clashes between government and Taliban forces has made the roads dangerous for many Afghans.
Past ceasefires have largely been followed by an increase in violence, and many Afghans are worried that the same might happen again. The Taliban launched massive attacks across the country after the end of an Eid ceasefire in 2019, triggering intense clashes with Afghan security forces. Violence also intensified after the ceasefire in 2018.
‘‘I believe it is not a ceasefire. It is just a break, so both sides can rest and then get ready for more violence,’’ said Mohammad Iqbal Khayber, leader of the Afghanistan Peace Movement. ‘‘People are disappointed.’’