Afghanistan declares extension of govt ceasefire with Taliban

Afghan forces manning checkpoints offered Eid greetings to Taliban fighters

BATI KOT: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced on Saturday an extension of the government’s weeklong ceasefire with the Taliban, as both sides observed a halt in hostilities for Eid. In a rare televised address to the nation, Ghani also asked the Taliban to extend their three-day ceasefire which is due to end on Sunday.

“I order the security forces to remain on their defensive positions,” Ghani said, adding details of the extension would be released later. The government’s ceasefire was due to end on Tuesday.

His announcement comes as Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces hugged and took selfies with each other across the country as an unprecedented ceasefire in the wartorn country held for the second day of Eid.

Carrying assault weapons and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, members of Afghanistan’s biggest militant group travelled by car and motorbike through the contested district of Bati Kot in eastern Nangarhar province, waving Afghan and Taliban flags.

Afghan forces manning checkpoints offered Eid greetings to the Taliban, embracing and posing for photos with the same people they are usually trying to kill — a scene that would have been unthinkable only a few days ago.

Villagers also flocked around the insurgents, hugging them and happily taking selfies with the heavily armed fighters as they celebrated the holiday capping the holy month of Ramadhan.

“I am here to offer greetings to our brothers in the police and army,” Taliban commander Baba said.

“We have held the ceasefire well so far. Everyone is tired of war and if our leaders order us to continue the ceasefire, we will hold it forever.”

A Taliban fighter on a motorbike carrying the Afghan and Taliban flags welcomed the ceasefire, but said longlasting peace would only be achieved if US forces left the country.

The Taliban announced a ceasefire for the first three days of Eid, which started on Friday, promising not to attack Afghan security forces for the first time since the 2001 US invasion.

They said they would continue attacking Us-led Nato troops. That came after Ghani announced that police and troops would cease operations against the Taliban for eight days, starting last Tuesday — though he warned that operations against other militants, including the IS group, would continue.

Bati Kot is on the highway connecting the Nangarhar provincial capital of Jalalabad with Torkham, one of the major border crossings into Pakistan, which has long been accused of supporting the Taliban and providing safe haven to its leaders, charges it denies.