PESHAWAR – The Taliban are considering announcing a ceasefire during nextweek’s Eid holiday, despite heavy fighting seen over recent days in thecentral Afghan city of Ghazni, two senior Taliban officials said.

They said no decision had been taken but senior leaders would meet eitheron Tuesday evening or Wednesday to discuss the option, which was beingpushed by some Muslim states and other parties with good relations to themovement.

If agreed, it may be announced in Ghazni province, where the Taliban saythey control most of the districts around the provincial capital.

Prior to the fighting in Ghazni, which has killed and wounded hundreds,there had been strong hopes of a repeat of the three-day truce during theEid-al Fitr holiday in June, the most concrete sign of progress towardpeace since talks between the government and Taliban broke down in 2015.

The government said last month it was considering offering a ceasefireduring Eid-al Adha, the annual feast of sacrifice, which begins next weekbut has so far not confirmed the offer and there has been no response fromthe Taliban.

“Our friends are advising us that we should announce a four-day ceasefirefor the upcoming Eid-al Azha so that the people of Afghanistan canpeacefully celebrate their Eid like they did two months ago,” one of theTaliban officials said.

“As usual there would be divided opinion on a ceasefire like we faced lasttime during Eid-al Fitr but our supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzadawould then play his role and would either announce the ceasefire or may askthe fighters to continue their fight,” said the official, a member of theshura, or leadership council.

Another Taliban leader said he hoped their leadership might announce aceasefire as last time it had helped win hearts and minds of the people ofAfghanistan, with unarmed fighters and soldiers seen mingling on thestreets of Kabul and other cities.

“The demand is for one week but our leadership may announce four days ofceasefire to enable the Afghan people to buy sacrificial animals andcelebrate Eid-ul-Azha in a peaceful environment,” he said.

Asked who the “friends” were, the first official said the Taliban hadfriends and allies in many parts of the world.

In January, President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban peace talks withoutconditions and the United States has dropped its previous refusal to talkto the Taliban, saying it would be willing to participate in an Afghan-ledprocess.

Taliban officials say they have spoken directly to the top U.S. official onAfghanistan and Pakistan in Qatar, where the Taliban maintains a politicaloffice and a delegation traveled to Uzbekistan this month to discuss issuesincluding peace. – Agencies