KABUL: Dozens of unarmed Taliban militants entered the Afghan capital on Saturday to rejoice an extraordinary ceasefire marking the end of the Ramadan fasting season, police stated, as in different places soldiers and militants exchanged hugs and selfies.
The Taliban introduced a wonder three-day ceasefire over the Eid vacation, which began on Friday, aside from in opposition to overseas forces. It overlaps with an Afghan government ceasefire which lasts until Wednesday.
The Taliban entered Kabul thru gates in the south and southeast.
"They are unarmed as they handed over their weapons at the entrances," Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai told Reuters. Their guns will probably be returned to them after they leave, he stated.
Video and images on news web pages confirmed cheerful soldiers and Taliban hugging one another and exchanging Eid greetings in Logar province, south of Kabul, and Zabul in the south and central Maidan Wardak. Some people have been dancing and clapping as onlookers took photos with their smartphones.
Channel 1 TV tweeted a picture of a lone Talib waving the gang's flag from a Kabul bridge.
Afghan deputy internal minister Masood Azizi stated the ceasefire was once being monitored throughout the country.
"Luckily there have been no attacks," he told Reuters.
Governors in Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul stated each side had adhered to the ceasefire and that there had been no experiences of violence for 24 hours.
Members of rights groups organised a short lived assembly between Afghan forces and Taliban insurgents in Helmand's capital town. Laskargah, where the Taliban have delivered a series of blows to government forces this yr.
Men and girls amassed around the soldiers and Taliban fighters and instructed them to stay their guns holstered prior to they hugged each and every different.
"It was the most peaceful Eid. For the first time we felt safe. It is hard to describe the joy," stated Qais Liwal, a student in Zabul.
The major square of Kunduz town, capital of the province of the same name which has witnessed a series of bloody clashes, became a friendly assembly flooring.
Resident Mohammad Amir stated his more youthful brother had told him the Taliban have been casually entering town.
"I could not believe my eyes," he told Reuters. "I saw Taliban and police standing side by side and taking selfies."
Photos on news web pages confirmed armed police status in line on the nook of the street hugging Taliban fighters one after the other.
A video confirmed a huge crowd of people screaming and whistling as they welcomed the Taliban. In some districts of the eastern town of Jalalabad, civilians have been offering dry fruit, conventional candies and ice cream to Taliban militants.
A Reuters reporter in Jalalabad saw greater than a dozen Taliban insurgents taking part in their meals and enjoying with kids.
President Ashraf Ghani on Friday expressed hope that the ceasefire would make means for a lengthier halt in the fighting and referred to as for the Taliban to come back to the negotiating table.
The ceasefire coincided with the beginning of the World Cup, a cricket test fit debut in opposition to India, and hopes for elections later in the yr and peace that lasts longer than only some days following months of deteriorating safety, especially in the capital, Kabul.
The Taliban are fighting US-led NATO forces, mixed under the Resolute Support undertaking, and the US-backed government to revive sharia, or Islamic law, after their ouster by way of US-led forces in 2001.
Resolute Support stated it was once hopeful that the Taliban stick to their ceasefire "and we hope that pause leads to dialogue and progress on reconciliation".
The Taliban introduced a wonder three-day ceasefire over the Eid vacation, which began on Friday, aside from in opposition to overseas forces. It overlaps with an Afghan government ceasefire which lasts until Wednesday.
The Taliban entered Kabul thru gates in the south and southeast.
"They are unarmed as they handed over their weapons at the entrances," Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai told Reuters. Their guns will probably be returned to them after they leave, he stated.
Video and images on news web pages confirmed cheerful soldiers and Taliban hugging one another and exchanging Eid greetings in Logar province, south of Kabul, and Zabul in the south and central Maidan Wardak. Some people have been dancing and clapping as onlookers took photos with their smartphones.
Channel 1 TV tweeted a picture of a lone Talib waving the gang's flag from a Kabul bridge.
Afghan deputy internal minister Masood Azizi stated the ceasefire was once being monitored throughout the country.
#MoI Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak meets Taliban members in Company space of #Kabul town this afternoon. #Ceasefire… https://t.co/ZkuqzodTOq
— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) 1529145145000"Luckily there have been no attacks," he told Reuters.
Governors in Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul stated each side had adhered to the ceasefire and that there had been no experiences of violence for 24 hours.
Members of rights groups organised a short lived assembly between Afghan forces and Taliban insurgents in Helmand's capital town. Laskargah, where the Taliban have delivered a series of blows to government forces this yr.
Men and girls amassed around the soldiers and Taliban fighters and instructed them to stay their guns holstered prior to they hugged each and every different.
"It was the most peaceful Eid. For the first time we felt safe. It is hard to describe the joy," stated Qais Liwal, a student in Zabul.
The major square of Kunduz town, capital of the province of the same name which has witnessed a series of bloody clashes, became a friendly assembly flooring.
Resident Mohammad Amir stated his more youthful brother had told him the Taliban have been casually entering town.
"I could not believe my eyes," he told Reuters. "I saw Taliban and police standing side by side and taking selfies."
Photos on news web pages confirmed armed police status in line on the nook of the street hugging Taliban fighters one after the other.
A video confirmed a huge crowd of people screaming and whistling as they welcomed the Taliban. In some districts of the eastern town of Jalalabad, civilians have been offering dry fruit, conventional candies and ice cream to Taliban militants.
A Reuters reporter in Jalalabad saw greater than a dozen Taliban insurgents taking part in their meals and enjoying with kids.
President Ashraf Ghani on Friday expressed hope that the ceasefire would make means for a lengthier halt in the fighting and referred to as for the Taliban to come back to the negotiating table.
The ceasefire coincided with the beginning of the World Cup, a cricket test fit debut in opposition to India, and hopes for elections later in the yr and peace that lasts longer than only some days following months of deteriorating safety, especially in the capital, Kabul.
The Taliban are fighting US-led NATO forces, mixed under the Resolute Support undertaking, and the US-backed government to revive sharia, or Islamic law, after their ouster by way of US-led forces in 2001.
Resolute Support stated it was once hopeful that the Taliban stick to their ceasefire "and we hope that pause leads to dialogue and progress on reconciliation".
Taliban, Afghan forces hug, take selfies as ceasefire holds
![Taliban, Afghan forces hug, take selfies as ceasefire holds]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 16, 2018
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