The three-day ceasefire declared by the Taliban and Afghan forces is being implemented today, following fierce clashes across Afghanistan.
The truce, proposed by the rebels and accepted by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, was declared on the occasion of Eid, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Since May 1, the date on which US and NATO troops began withdrawing from the country, there has been an increase in violence in Afghanistan.
The truce, the fourth in nearly 20 years of conflict, is expected to offer a respite to Afghan families celebrating Eid.
“I have not seen my relatives living in Logar province for about a year. “I will take this opportunity to visit Taliban-controlled areas to visit them,” said Mustafa, a Kabul resident.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been killed or forced to flee their homes by the conflict, while the Taliban continue to win, occupying more and more parts of the country.
The insurgents and the Afghan government began peace talks in September, but they have stalled.
In the past, Eid’s ceasefires have generally been respected as an opportunity for Taliban leaders to demonstrate that they control the various insurgent groups operating in Afghanistan.
“(Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhunda) wants to prove he is the master of war and peace,” said Afghan political analyst Fawad Kohai.
“Keeping track”
The United States and NATO have pledged to withdraw all their troops remaining in Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Few believe that Afghan forces will be able to confront the Taliban without US air support and US special forces.
The insurgents are now avoiding clashes with US troops, but have stepped up their attacks on Afghan government forces.
Fighting has intensified in recent weeks in some areas, and yesterday the Taliban took control of a strategically important city on the outskirts of Kabul.
Insurgents are encircling more and more urban centers, implying that they are awaiting the withdrawal of the Americans to launch large-scale operations against the cities of Afghanistan.
On May 8, more than 50 people were killed and hundreds more injured in a bomb blast in front of a girls’ school in Kabul’s Shiite minority district. This is the bloodiest attack in a year.
Afghan authorities have blamed the Taliban for the attack, but they have denied responsibility.
The UN Assistance Mission in Manua has pledged to continue supporting Afghanistan.
“Let me assure you that we do not intend to go anywhere. We intend to continue our course and work with you, “said Deborah Lyons, head of Manua, in a statement on the occasion of Ed.
A day after the attack on the girls’ school, Ross Wilson, the highest-ranking US diplomat in Afghanistan, assured that the withdrawal of the US military would not mean the end of the US mobilization “to support and defend the education of Afghan women”.
