Afghan leader declares ceasefire with Taliban

Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan president, declared a provisional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban in a televised broadcast yesterday, but said the truce would hold only if the insurgents reciprocated.

The announcement followed a bloody week of fighting across Afghanistan which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault against Ghazni, the provincial capital.

“I once again announce a ceasefire from tomorrow until the prophet’s birthday, provided that the Taliban reciprocate,” said Mr Ghani.