Afghan government extends cease-fire with Taliban as fighters join civilians to celebrate Eid
Source: The Washington Post
By Pamela Constable
June 16 at 11:10 AM
HERAT, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani ordered an extension Saturday of the cease-fire with Taliban insurgents, offered to provide medical treatment to injured Taliban fighters and announced that 46 Taliban prisoners had been released Friday as a sign of official goodwill.
Speaking from his palace in a solemn and serene tone, Ghani said his government was ready for any kind of peace and any kind of talks, and that he would be willing to discuss all Taliban concerns, including the future role of international troops in the country.
Ghanis dramatic announcement aimed to build on the extraordinary success of the cease-fires first day Friday, in which thousands of Taliban fighters poured into cities and towns across the country and joined local civilians and security officials in celebrating the Eid holiday following the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
But even as the president spoke, the positive momentum of Fridays events was undercut by a bombing in eastern Nangahar province, near a meeting of Taliban and local officials leaving 10 people dead and injured. No group claimed the attack, but there were unconfirmed reports that the bomb was attached to a Taliban military vehicle.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghan-government-extends-cease-fire-with-taliban-as-fighters-join-civilians-to-celebrate-eid/2018/06/16/a3fcecce-7170-11e8-b4d8-eaf78d4c544c_story.html
shadowmayor
(1,325 posts)What in the hell did the people of Afghanistan ever do to the people of the United States? I guess we're there to guard the world's largest opium crop.
karynnj
(59,504 posts)that would be the point where we should both not interfere and leave. If that happens, no credit will go to Obama, some actually should. A few years ago, they had a disputed election and Secretary Kerry worked with both sides and brokered an agreement that after a recount, the loser winner (then not known) would share some power with the loser - in what was a close election. No one gave him much chance in getting a deal - and it has not worked perfectly, but it did keep Afghanistan from going off the cliff in 2014. ( http://time.com/3001703/kerry-afghanistan-civil-war/ )