Kabul:
The Taliban on Monday declared a 3-day ceasefire across Afghanistan to mark this week’s Eid al-Fitr vacation, just two days right after becoming blamed for killing more than 50 individuals — mainly young girls — in a bomb attack outdoors a college in the capital.
The ceasefire present comes as the United States continues to pull out its last 2,500 troops from the violence-wracked nation in spite of faltering peace efforts amongst the Taliban and Afghan government to finish a decades-lengthy war.
“Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate are instructed to halt all offensive operations against the enemy countrywide from the first till the third day of Eid,” a statement released by the Taliban stated.
“But if the enemy conducts any assault or attack against you during these days, stand ready to robustly protect and defend yourselves and your territory,” it added.
Eid al-Fitr marks the finish of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and the vacation starts according to the sighting of the new moon. The Taliban declared comparable ceasefires last year to mark Islamic holidays.
The government typically reciprocates with a truce. Fraidon Khawzon, spokesman for chief negotiator Abdullah Abdullah, stated early Monday: “We welcome the announcement….the Islamic republic is also ready and will announce soon.”
‘Bodies piled on prime of every other’
The newest present comes right after the government blamed the Taliban for Saturday’s attack outdoors a girls’ college in Dasht-e-Barchi, a suburb of the capital largely populated by the Shiite Hazara neighborhood, which is usually targeted by extremist Sunni Islamist militants.
A series of blasts outdoors the college — when residents had been purchasing ahead of the vacation — killed more than 50 individuals and wounded more than one hundred.
It was the deadliest attack in more than a year.
The Taliban, who denied duty, had earlier issued a statement saying the nation required to “safeguard and look after educational centres and institutions”.
On Sunday, relatives buried the dead at a hilltop web-site identified as “Martyrs Cemetery”, exactly where victims of attacks against the Hazara neighborhood are laid to rest.
Hazaras are Shiite Muslims and regarded heretics by extremist Sunnis. Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the Afghan population.
Bodies in wooden coffins had been lowered into graves one by one by mourners nevertheless in a state of shock and worry, an AFP photographer stated.
“I rushed to the scene (after the blasts) and found myself in the middle of bodies, their hands and heads cut off and bones smashed,” stated Mohammad Taqi, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi, whose two daughters had been students at the college but escaped the attack.
“All of them were girls. Their bodies piled on top of each other.”
Books and college bags belonging to the victims nevertheless lay scattered at the web-site of the attack.
The Taliban insist they have not carried out attacks in Kabul due to the fact February last year, when they signed a deal with Washington that paved the way for peace talks and withdrawal of the remaining US troops.
But the group has clashed everyday with Afghan forces in the rugged countryside even as the US military reduces its presence.
Taliban chief warns US
The United States was supposed to have pulled all forces out by May 1 as agreed with the Taliban last year, but Washington pushed back the date to September 11 — a move that angered the insurgents.
The leader of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, reiterated in a message released ahead of Eid that any delay in withdrawing the troops was a “violation” of that deal.
“If America again fails to live up to its commitments, then the world must bear witness and hold America accountable for all the consequences,” Akhundzada warned in Sunday’s message.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has declared a day of national mourning for Tuesday.
“This savage group does not have the power to confront security forces on the battlefield, and instead targets with brutality and barbarism public facilities and the girls’ school,” he stated in a statement.
Saturday’s blasts drew widespread international condemnation.
Pope Francis referred to as it “an inhumane action”, whilst Iran blamed the jihadist Islamic State.
India, meanwhile, referred to as for the dismantling of “terrorist sanctuaries” and a ceasefire to increase peace efforts.
(This story has not been edited by TheSpuzz employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)