Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a conditional ceasefire on Sunday with the Taliban for a period of three months.
According to the details received by TBP web news desk, the Afghan President made the announcement of cease fire to mark the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.
He said that the ceasefire would start on August 20 and would end on November 19, adding, the ceasefire would only be implemented if the Taliban respect it.
“We announce a ceasefire that would take effect from tomorrow, Monday, the day of Arafa, till the day of the birth of the prophet i.e., Milad-un-Nabi, (November 19) provided that the Taliban reciprocate,” Ghani said.
Earlier on June 7, Ghani had declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban from June 11 to June 19 to mark Eid al-Fitr.
Whereas on Monday the Afghan Taliban ambushed a convoy of buses on a road in northern Afghanistan and took approximately 150 people hostage, including women and children.
The ambush came a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a conditional ceasefire with the Taliban.
“The insurgents stopped three busses on the road near Khan Abad district and forced the passengers to come with them”, said Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz
“So far, there is no news on the fate of the passengers, but tribal elders and local officials are trying to negotiate with the Taliban,” Ayubi added.
In his call on Sunday for the truce, Ghani said “the cease-fire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depends on the Taliban’s stand”.