KABUL: The Taliban said Sunday they would not extend their three-dayceasefire with Afghan security forces and fighting would resume, dashinghopes for the recent peace to continue.
The comments by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid come after AfghanPresident Ashraf Ghani announced Saturday a government truce with themilitants would be extended. He asked the group to reciprocate.
“The ceasefire ends tonight and our operations will begin, inshallah. Wehave no intention to extend the ceasefire,” Mujahid told *AFP* in aWhatsApp message.
The first formal, nationwide ceasefire in the country since the 2001 USinvasion had been met with jubilation across the country as Afghans —Taliban, security forces and civilians — celebrated Eid, the holiday thatcaps the fasting month of Ramazan.
Taliban fighters and security forces embraced and took selfies with eachother over the first two days of Eid.
Civilians also flocked to greet the militants, who had left their posts orareas under their control to celebrate the halt in hostilities, which hadfuelled hopes among war-weary Afghans that peace was possible.
The extraordinary festivities were marred by a suicide attack in theeastern province of Nangarhar on Saturday that was later claimed by theIslamic State group’s franchise in Afghanistan. Islamic State was notincluded in the ceasefire.
The death toll from the blast has risen to 36, with another 65 wounded,Nangarhar health director Najibullah Kamawal told *AFP*, after a number ofpeople with critical injuries died overnight.
Ghani’s extension of the government’s eight-day ceasefire, which had beendue to expire Tuesday, drew immediate international support and calls forthe Taliban to follow suit.
The Taliban had agreed to a truce but only for the first three days of Eid,which started Friday, promising not to attack Afghan soldiers or police.They would, however, continue attacking US-led NATO troops.With the ceasefire due to end Sunday night, fighting is likely to resume onMonday.
Before the Taliban’s ceasefire had even started, analysts had expressedcautious optimism that the truces, if successful, could help build trustbetween the government and the Taliban and lay the groundwork for peacetalks.
But it was clear on Sunday that not everyone in the Taliban approved of thebonhomie between its fighters and security forces.
The Taliban ordered its fighters to avoid gatherings of security forces andcivilians, ostensibly to avoid further civilian casualties, followingSaturday’s suicide attack.
But some Taliban commanders also told *AFP* they disapproved of theirfighters visiting government-controlled areas and celebrating with securityforces.
“The enemy has misused the ceasefire issue and there is a chance of moresuch bad incidents happening,” Mujahid said in an earlier message.
But some Taliban commanders also told *AFP* they disapproved of theirfighters visiting government-controlled areas and celebrating with securityforces.
The Taliban’s decision to resume fighting came as no surprise to severalWestern diplomats in Kabul.
“If they extend the ceasefire they will be compelled to talk, which I thinkthe Taliban isn’t interested in. They’re looking for an outright victory,”one diplomat told *AFP* on the condition of anonymity. – APP/AFP