Afghan ceasefire over Eid

Kabul – The Taliban and Afghan government yesterday declared a three-day ceasefire for this week’s Eid al-Fitr holiday, following a sharp spike in violence as Washington goes about withdrawing its remaining troops from Afghanistan.

Violence has soared since 1 May – the deadline missed by the US to withdraw the last of its troops – and while the Taliban has avoided engaging American forces, attacks against government and civilian targets have not stopped.

In the latest, the interior ministry said yesterday that at least 11 people were killed by a bomb that struck a bus in Zabul province.

That followed Saturday’s carnage outside a school in the capital, Kabul, when a series of bombs killed at least 50 people. –