US and Saudi officials discuss Afghan government’s likely ceasefire with Taliban

The US and Saudi officials have discussed the likely announcement of ceasefire by the Afghan government with the Taliban group during Eid Al-Adha.

“Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with SAudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,” the State Department said in a statement.

The statement further added that the Secretary and the Crown Prince discussed their support for a ceasefire in Afghanistan over the coming Eid, and peace in Afghanistan more broadly.

No further details were given regarding the discussion about the likely ceasefire in Afghanistan.

More and more

Ghani extends duration of ceasefire with the Taliban group

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Saturday announced the extension of the period of ceasefire with the Taliban group until an unspecified time.

In his televised speech to the nation, President Ghani said the decision has been taken in consideration with the available consensus on government level as well as the Taliban ranks and on international community level.

He said Afghans want peace and pointed towards the Eid prayers offered jointly by the Taliban and government personnel as a good example of the available consensus for peace.

President Ghani further added that the environment was completely changed during Eid prayers in the mosques across the country, including Logar, Kandahar, Faryab, Kunduz, Zabul, Maidan Shahr, Nangarhar, and Laghman, with the Ulemas focusing and emphasizing on the value, importance, and the need of peace from the perspective of Islam.

More and more

Optimism grows over Govt-Taliban ceasefire

The former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef says he is optimistic about the continuation of the ceasefire between the Afghan government and the Taliban, saying that the truce might be extended.

Talking to TOLOnews this week, Zaeef also spoke about the current administration and said any collapse of the system would not be in the interests of the people or the country. He said instead efforts need to be made to reform and extend the current system.

“I am not in favor of A collapse of this system. Peace should be ensured and the system should be reformed and it should be further supported,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Taliban’s leader Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada said in his Eid message, which came just days after the group called for a three-day ceasefire, that the group’s fight is to end the presence of US military in Afghanistan.

More and more

Taliban launch coordinated attack on Moqor district on first day of ceasefire

The Taliban militants have launched a coordinated attack on Moqor district in southeastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan on the first day of the cesaefire announced by the Afghan government.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Arif Noori confirmed that the militants launched a coordinated attack on Moqor districts in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

In the meantime, a security official said the militants have detonated a Humvee armored personnel carrier packed with the explosives near the district security commandment compound.

The source further added that the attack has left at least 5 policemen dead while more than 10 Taliban insurgents were also killed during the clashes.

More and more