KABUL – The Taliban rejected on Monday an Afghan government offer of aceasefire and they would persist with their attacks, two militantcommanders said, while insurgents ambushed three buses and nearly 200passengers travelling for a holiday.

The two Taliban commanders said their supreme leader rejected PresidentAshraf Ghani s Sunday offer of a three-month ceasefire, beginning with thisweek s Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday.

In June, the Taliban observed a government ceasefire over the three-day Eidal-Fitr festival, leading to unprecedented scenes of government soldiersand militants embracing on front lines, and raising hopes for talks.

But one of the Taliban commanders said the June ceasefire had only helpedU.S. forces, who the Taliban are trying to drive out of the country, andTaliban leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada rejected the new offer on thegrounds it would only help the U.S.-led mission.

“Our leadership feels that they ll prolong their stay in Afghanistan if weannounced a ceasefire now,” a senior Taliban commander, who declined to beidentified, said by telephone.

An official in Ghani s office said the three-month-long ceasefire declaredby the government was conditional, and if the Taliban did not respect it,the government would maintain military operations.