KABUL’s ceasefire announcement and hoped the truce would be extended beyond Eidul Fitr days.
The Taliban on Saturday announced a three-day ceasefire with the Afghan security forces for Eidul Fitr. However, the insurgents vowed to continue targeting foreign troops.
The decision came after President Ashraf Ghani declared a ceasefire with the Taliban. The government would observe the truce from the 27th of Ramadan until the fifth day of EidulFitr.
However, the government said the Afghan forces should continue to target Daesh or Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda and other international terrorists.
Badam Zarifi, a civil society activist and analyst, asked the government to take advantage of the ceasefire by starting face to face negotiations with the Taliban.
He told Pajhwok Afghan News that the international community should also support the ceasefire and the Afghan government should try to extend it.
Mualvi Amanullah Enayat, a resident of eastern Nuristan province, also urged the Taliban and the government to extend their ceasefire.
He said both the Afghan government and the Taliban should be committed to ceasefire principles.
Mirza Mohammad, a resident of Mehtarlam city, the capital of eastern Baghlan province, said the people were tired of the war and they welcomed ceasefire as a new message. He also asked the government and the Taliban to extend the ceasefire and start direct peace negotiations.
Syed Mohammad, a resident of Chamtal district of northern Balkh province, said that Taliban’s ceasefire announcement proved the insurgent group was also willing for peace talks.
The government and the Taliban should build a trustful environment for permanent peace using the available opportunity, he said.
“The Eid of Afghan doubled when the government and the Taliban announced ceasefire and we hope both sides would remain committed to it”, he hoped.
Aziz Ahmad, a resident of Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province, said all people were happy about the ceasefire announcement.
In the past, ceasefires were symbolic and never practiced, he said, hoping such ceasefires would pave the ground for a long-term peace.
Samiullah, a resident of Khost province, told Pajhwok they were hopeful because it was the first time both the Afghan government and the Taliban agreed on a ceasefire during the last 18 years.
“This ceasefire fives us hope that peace will come to Afghanistan soon, this ceasefire is the first sign of peace,” he said.
Ziba Barakzai, a civil society activist from Khost province, appreciated the ceasefire and hoped the move would lead to a permanent peace in the country.
“I think this lull in the war will pave the ground for a permanent peace, I hope we are going close to the day when Afghanistan will witness permanent peace,” she said.
Residents of Kandahar province also welcomed the Taliban for the ceasefire.
Javid Ahmad, a resident of Mirwais Mina area of Kandahar city, said it was an unprecedented move from the Taliban and the people were very happy.
He said though the three days ceasefire seemed insufficient, still people hoped it would be extended until leading to durable peace in Afghanistan.
Sibghatullah, a resident of Panjwai district of Kandahar, told Pajhwok that the Taliban after shedding blood for years, finally announced only three day ceasefire, welcomed by the public. “This wide welcome of ceasefire proves how much people are desperate for peace”, he said.
Mohammad Nasim, a resident of Bamyan province, also hailed the Taliban for the ceasefire and responding positively to Ulema request and said the Taliban were Afghans and needed to be accepted in peace.
Residents of many other provinces held similar views about the ceasefire.
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