Skip to main content

Afghanistan: President Ghani offers Taliban 3-month conditional ceasefire

President Ashraf Ghani  Image: DOD/US Air Force Staff Sgt. Jette Carr
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani declared a provisional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban in a televised broadcast.

Kabul-Anticipation had been mounting ahead of Ghani’s speech following mixed signals from the presidential palace over whether the government would offer a fresh truce – following a brief ceasefire in June.


“The conditional ceasefire will start tomorrow and it will continue as long as the Taliban preserves and respects it,” Ghani said on Sunday, August 19, Reuters reported.

Ghani said the ceasefire, which begins on the Eid al-Adha holiday, would continue until the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday which Afghanistan celebrates on November 21, AFP reported.

Ghani said his administration removed “all obstacles” to peace with the announcement following consultations with religious scholars, political parties and civil society groups.

“We call on the leadership of the Taliban to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long lasting and real peace, and we urge them to get ready for peace talks based on Islamic values and principles,” he said, in an announcement as Afghans celebrated their independence day.

Ghani’s announcement followed a bloody week of fighting across Afghanistan which saw the Taliban launch a massive assault against the provincial capital Ghazni. The days-long battle killed hundreds. Taliban militants also captured an Afghan military base in Faryab province, and attacked military bases in Baghlan and Zabul provinces.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to the offer, but in a message from its leader published over the weekend to mark Eid al-Adha the group continued to push for direct talks with the U.S.


Washington has repeatedly refused, saying negotiations must be Afghan-led. Last month, however, Taliban representatives met U.S. officials for talks in Qatar, though little is known about the details of the meeting.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed Ghani’s announcement and called on the Taliban to participate.

“We remain ready to support, facilitate, and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban,” he said in a statement. “There are no obstacles to talks. It is time for peace.”

Ghani’s announcement was also welcomed in neighbouring Pakistan, which has long been accused of fostering links with the Taliban’s leadership and providing sanctuary to its fighters.

The overlapping government and Taliban ceasefires in June – the first such truce in the country since the 2001 US invasion – spurred hopes that a new path was opening for possible peace talks in the country to the end the nearly 17-year-old war.

Ghani has made peace overtures to the Taliban before. In February he laid out plans for a possible settlement with the group, including a ceasefire, prisoner release, and recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate political party.

Ghani did not mention any ceasefire with other militant groups including Islamic State – Khorasan Province, which has expanded since it first emerged in the region in 2014 and was not included in the June ceasefire.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Curfew imposed in wana after ‘Taliban’ attack PTM,s Leaders

10 PTM activists, including Wazir’s cousin, injured in the attack PakistanToday : At least 10 people were injured and two suspected Taliban militants were killed in an attack on activists of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), including Ali Wazir and his cousin, in Wana, leading to curfew being imposed in the area. The injured were shifted to Agency Headquarter Hospital Wana for medical treatment where they were declared to be out of danger. According to reports, differences between the two parties developed on Saturday when pro-government militant leader Ain Ullah Wazir forcefully snatched caps from PTM activists and set them on fire. Following the incident, Ali Wazir had condemned the act and called for a sit-in protest from Monday. The militants retaliated and attacked the Mirzalam Khan Wazir Market and the nearby petrol pump, owned by Ali Wazir. However, before the attack, they went to Ali Wazir’s home, armed with guns, and asked him to leave the area of quit PTM....

Russia's says Syria chemical weapons attack was free Plane

Monitor Desk: The U.S. has blood and urine samples from the area the U.S. has blood and urine samples from the area that have tested positive for chemical weapons, according to two American officials.at have tested positive for chemical weapons, according to two American officials. Russia said Friday it had “irrefutable” evidence that the deadly Syria chemical weapons attack that has prompted the U.S. to consider airstrikes was fabricated. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference that there was a “very alarming atmosphere” over the issue and likened plans for a military response to failed action in Libya. “God forbid any other military gambles will be taken in Syria,” he said. Related Lavrov cited "irrefutable data that [this] was yet another staged event and staging was done … by the special services of one of the countries at the forefront of the anti-Russia campaign." His comments come after President Donald Trump called last Saturday’s attack...

Hashim Bakht PTI nominee for Punjab CM

Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is likely to nominate its elected member of Punjab assembly from southern Punjab Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht — the younger brother of Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar — as Punjab chief minister, Morning Mail report. Hashim Bakht is foreign graduate and younger brother of Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, their father has also remained member National Assembly. However, PTI chairman Imran Khan will make the announcement in this regard later. The sources said that Makhdoom Hashim is a strong candidate for the post of chief minister Punjab and he has acquired the support of the majority of senior leaders in the PTI. Khsro Bakhtyar Elder Brother Of Hashim Bakht Hashim Jawan is the younger brother of Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and he was elected from Rahim Yar Khan. Jahan has worked in the banking sector and he was vice president of the corporate sector of the City Bank. Jawan did his B.Com from McGill Universi...