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| Taliban, Afghan government agree to cease-fire to mark end of Ramadan | Taliban, Afghan government agree to cease-fire to mark end of Ramadan |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — U.S. officials are hopeful a three-day cease-fire between the Taliban and the Afghan government can resuscitate talks between the two parties and keep the fragile U.S.-Taliban peace deal on track. But the pause in hostilities follows weeks of escalating violence that has deepened mistrust on all sides. | ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — U.S. officials are hopeful a three-day cease-fire between the Taliban and the Afghan government can resuscitate talks between the two parties and keep the fragile U.S.-Taliban peace deal on track. But the pause in hostilities follows weeks of escalating violence that has deepened mistrust on all sides. |
| "This presents a tremendous opportunity for Afghans to overcome other obstacles and move urgently to intra Afghan negotiations that end the war," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted Sunday. | "This presents a tremendous opportunity for Afghans to overcome other obstacles and move urgently to intra Afghan negotiations that end the war," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted Sunday. |
| The cease-fire, marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, comes as Afghanistan is stuck in a deadly limbo. Talks between the Afghan government and Taliban have repeatedly hit stumbling blocks, and clashes have intensified. Commanders on the ground have warned of mounting casualties among their troops, and human rights organizations say civilian casualties are spiking. | |
| The Taliban announced the cease-fire for Eid al-Fitr late Saturday, and within hours Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered his forces to comply. The Taliban said offensive maneuvers were halted so Afghans could "spend Eid with happiness" but said defensive operations were permitted. Taliban fighters were barred from traveling to government-held territory. | |
| Shortly after the announcement, U.S. special representative Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted, "this is a momentous opportunity that should not be missed." | Shortly after the announcement, U.S. special representative Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted, "this is a momentous opportunity that should not be missed." |
| The only other time the Taliban agreed to a cease-fire was to mark the same Eid al-Fitr holiday in 2018. Celebrations broke out across the country during the first cessation of violence in the nearly two-decade-long conflict, but the fighting resumed soon after. | The only other time the Taliban agreed to a cease-fire was to mark the same Eid al-Fitr holiday in 2018. Celebrations broke out across the country during the first cessation of violence in the nearly two-decade-long conflict, but the fighting resumed soon after. |
| Taliban attacks in Afghanistan surge after U.S. peace deal, inflicting heavy casualties | Taliban attacks in Afghanistan surge after U.S. peace deal, inflicting heavy casualties |
| When the United States and the Taliban signed their peace deal, U.S. officials said it would reduce bloodshed. But violence has only intensified and civilian casualties have increased. The U.S. withdrawal from the country is continuing on schedule, according to the U.S. military command in Kabul, despite U.S. and Taliban officials trading accusations that the other side has violated the agreement. | When the United States and the Taliban signed their peace deal, U.S. officials said it would reduce bloodshed. But violence has only intensified and civilian casualties have increased. The U.S. withdrawal from the country is continuing on schedule, according to the U.S. military command in Kabul, despite U.S. and Taliban officials trading accusations that the other side has violated the agreement. |
| In addition to continued violence, another major stumbling block to the start of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban has been a controversial prisoner swap. | In addition to continued violence, another major stumbling block to the start of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban has been a controversial prisoner swap. |
| “As a responsible government, we want to take one further step besides declaring a cease-fire; we will expedite the release process of the Taliban prisoners,” Ghani said in a televised address Sunday, hours before his government announced the release of up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture. He had halted prisoner releases when he resumed offensive operations against the Taliban this month. | “As a responsible government, we want to take one further step besides declaring a cease-fire; we will expedite the release process of the Taliban prisoners,” Ghani said in a televised address Sunday, hours before his government announced the release of up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture. He had halted prisoner releases when he resumed offensive operations against the Taliban this month. |
| A brutal attack on a Kabul maternity ward influenced Ghani’s decision to resume offensive operations. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Afghan government officials blamed the Taliban. | A brutal attack on a Kabul maternity ward influenced Ghani’s decision to resume offensive operations. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Afghan government officials blamed the Taliban. |
| Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the Eid cease-fire was declared primarily so Afghan families can celebrate the holiday in peace. But it “may also help restore confidence,” he added, referring to talks with the Afghan government. | Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the Eid cease-fire was declared primarily so Afghan families can celebrate the holiday in peace. But it “may also help restore confidence,” he added, referring to talks with the Afghan government. |
| The Taliban rejected previous calls to reduce violence or agree to a cease-fire to help the country respond to its coronavirus outbreak. | The Taliban rejected previous calls to reduce violence or agree to a cease-fire to help the country respond to its coronavirus outbreak. |
| But in the lead-up to the signing of the peace deal with the United States in February the Taliban agreed to a week-long reduction in violence that largely held nationwide. Violence during that period was reduced by 80 percent, fostering a rare atmosphere of hope in Afghanistan that halting decades of conflict was possible. | |
| Human rights groups have warned that if violence between the Afghan government and the Taliban continues, civilians are likely to bear an increasing burden. “What many of us feel is an utter sense of exhaustion & grief, and anger at being caught in the middle of senseless & intensifying conflict,” tweeted Shaharzad Akbar, the chairwoman of Afghanistan’s human rights commission. | Human rights groups have warned that if violence between the Afghan government and the Taliban continues, civilians are likely to bear an increasing burden. “What many of us feel is an utter sense of exhaustion & grief, and anger at being caught in the middle of senseless & intensifying conflict,” tweeted Shaharzad Akbar, the chairwoman of Afghanistan’s human rights commission. |
| Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report. | |
| Afghanistan’s civilian casualties rise following U.S.-Taliban peace deal | Afghanistan’s civilian casualties rise following U.S.-Taliban peace deal |
| Brutal attack on mothers and newborns prompts Afghanistan to resume offensive operations against Taliban | Brutal attack on mothers and newborns prompts Afghanistan to resume offensive operations against Taliban |
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