Long postponed, the peace negotiations in Afghanistan between the government and the Taliban could finally begin as early as next week, argued Tuesday, July 28 President Ashraf Ghani, who gave his approval to a short truce decreed by the insurgents.

This cease-fire should come into force on Friday, the day of the start of Eid al-Adha, the feast of the Sacrifice traditionally marked by family reunions.

"All Mujahedin (...) are ordered not to carry out operations against the enemy during the three days and nights of Eid al-Adha," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. But any possible attack by "the enemy" will give rise to the use of force in response, he warned.

Shortly thereafter, the Afghan government "ordered all security and defense forces to respect the ceasefire," according to Sediq Sediqqi, spokesperson for President Ghani. However, he added, they will have to "respond if the Taliban attacks our forces or our people".

Negotiations planned from the end of Eid

The United States, which has been hoping for such a breakthrough since signing its landmark deal with the Taliban at the end of February after more than 18 years of war, "welcomed the announcements" and called for a "swift" start to inter-Afghan negotiations .

The announcement of this second suspension of fighting by the rebels in just over two months came after the head of state said on the same day that he hoped for the opening of "direct" peace talks with them "in a week".

As early as last week, the Taliban had made it known that they were ready to start talks with the government in Kabul as soon as Eid ended.

Awaiting the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners

These inter-Afghan negotiations were originally scheduled to take place from March 10, but this date was passed due to a confused political situation in Kabul and a stagnation in the prisoner exchange process, the completion of which is demanded. as a prerequisite by the rebels.

The February 29 agreement between the United States and the Taliban provides for the release by the Afghan government of 5,000 insurgents and that by the latter of 1,000 members of the security forces.

"To demonstrate the government's commitment to peace, the Islamic Republic will soon complete the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners," the head of state had previously said in an address to the presidential palace.

Kabul has released most of these 5,000 detainees, but assures that some Taliban released from prison are returning to the battlefield.

Previous short-lived ceasefires

Ashraf Ghani has also urged the insurgents to accept "a permanent and complete ceasefire" during the talks intended to try to end almost 19 years of war in Afghanistan. "The ball is now in the court of the Taliban and the international community."

The rebels had already declared a three-day ceasefire in May at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Government troops had also observed this truce, but it was quickly broken, with the resumption of bloody attacks by the Taliban. Result, 3,500 soldiers killed in five months, according to the authorities, who also report the death of 775 civilians.

A first ceasefire, the only other since the conflict broke out in 2001, was decreed in June 2018 and was also short-lived.

With AFP

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