Taliban members tired of war: Afghan officials

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 20 (ANI): The senior officials of Afghanistan, who interacted with Taliban members during the Eid-ul-Fitr ceasefire said, many of them admitted they were tired of the war and would like peace.

Over 30,000 Taliban fighters entered cities, towns and villages during the three-day ceasefire and some of them have not returned to the battlefields.

"There was excitement when elders and Taliban leaders who attended a gathering were seen to be tired of war and they (Taliban) hoped to deliver their messages and demands to their elders so that efforts should be made for a lasting peace," Tolo News quoted the governor of Nangarhar, Hayatullah Hayat as saying.

"We are very tired. We are tired even if it was Jihad or service to the homeland or fight against foreigners. We are really tired of it," a Taliban commander, Hazratullah said.

According to the Afghan Defense Ministry, the Taliban has resumed their fight in some provinces, but the level of violence has decreased since the successful Eid truce.

This comes after Ghani extended the Afghan government's unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban for another 10 days.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on June 16 announced an extension of the government's week-long ceasefire with the Taliban, which was otherwise due to end on June 19, urging the Taliban to extend their three-day ceasefire.

This came in the backdrop of an initial truce which was observed by both sides over the Eid festival period.

The Taliban on June 9 announced a three-day ceasefire over the Eid holiday, two days after Ghani announced the ceasefire from the 27th of Ramzan (June 12) to the fifth day of Eid-ul-Fitr (June 19).

It is the first time the Taliban has agreed to a ceasefire for Eid since the US invasion in 2001. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI