Foreign missions in Afghanistan call for Taliban ceasefire

Fifteen diplomatic missions and the Nato representative in Afghanistan urged the Taliban on Monday to halt their military offensives just hours after the rival Afghan sides failed to agree on a ceasefire at a peace meeting in Doha.

A delegation of Afghan leaders met the Taliban’s political leadership in the Qatari capital over the weekend but the Taliban late on Sunday made no mention of a halt to Afghanistan’s escalating violence.

“This Eid al-adha, the Taliban should lay down their weapons for good and show the world their commitment to the peace process,” the 15 missions and the NATO representative said, referring to Tuesday’s Muslim holiday in Afghanistan.

The statement was supported by Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the European

Union delegation, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Britain and the United States and Nato’s senior civilian representative.

Over recent Eid holidays, the Taliban have called short ceasefires, saying they wanted to let Afghans spend them in peace.

This time there has been no such announcement as the Taliban make swift territorial gains in near-unprecedented levels of fighting nationwide as Us-led foreign forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of fighting.

The Taliban said on Monday they had captured the Dehrawood district in Uruzgan province, southwest of Kabul, after heavy clashes with government forces the previous night. Provincial officials confirmed the Taliban advance. —

Picture: REUTERS FALLEN COLLEAGUE: Bangladeshi photographers hold lit candles, placards and a photograph of Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui, who was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters, as they pay tribute at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh on Monday.