Taliban announces 3-day Eid ceasefire

Kabul [Afghanistan]: The Afghan Taliban has announced a three-day ceasefire over the Eid holiday, two days after the government-announced ceasefire here.

However, the militant group warned that it would "strongly defend" itself if attacked, and will retaliate against any aggression initiated during the period of the ceasefire, reported Khaama Press.

Meanwhile, the Taliban, in a statement, stated that its three-day ceasefire did not include foreign troops, and ordered its fighters to continue attacks on foreign forces.

It is the first time the Taliban has agreed to a ceasefire for Eid since the US invasion in 2001.
According to the Taliban's statement, the leadership of the group may also consider the release of the prisoners of war, provided that they will not return to the battlefield, the report said.

The latest move comes as a response to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's Thursday announcement of an unconditional ceasefire with the Taliban.
"The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan announces ceasefire from the 27th of Ramadan until the fifth day of Eid-ul-Fitr," Ghani tweeted.