Afghanistan declares temporary cease-fire with Taliban

[Peter1469]

Afghanistan declares temporary cease-fire with Taliban

Smart move. The Taliban is supported by the dominate ethnic population in Afghanistan. And the US supports this move and is shifting focus on ISIL-K and Al Q.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday announced a unilateral, week-long cease-fire with the Taliban, the latest move in his government’s increasingly urgent bid for peace and a reflection of the insurgent group’s battlefield strength.

Speaking in a televised address, Ghani said that local forces would halt offensive operations against the Taliban beginning June 12, close to the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, but would continue to attack the local branch of the Islamic State and other hard-line militant groups. It was the first time an Afghan leader has declared an unconditional cease-fire with the Taliban since the war began in 2001.


The Taliban had no immediate response to Ghani’s declaration.


The unexpected announcement comes at a delicate moment for Ghani and his Western backers, as Afghan forces struggle to demonstrate their strength against an emboldened Taliban, which controls vast parts of rural Afghanistan and has launched an increasingly bloody campaign of terrorist attacks in urban areas. Last month, the militants overran parts of the provincial capital of Farah province in western Afghanistan.


An Afghan official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the government would extend the period of the truce if the Taliban abides by its terms.

[Peter1469]

Now the Taliban declare a ceasefire.

We will see how it turns out. Maybe they will go after al Q-K and ISIL.

The Taliban’s announcement of a unilateral ceasefire is perhaps the most significant recent development in Afghanistan’s long-foundering peace efforts. Given the myriad spoilers and the potential of breakdown of discipline in the ranks, the significance of the ceasefire is not in whether it will hold; instead, it is in the politics of the move.

The Taliban have long either declined to participate in peace talks or denied involvement in talks with the Afghan government when reports emerged. They deemed the Afghan government as not serious about peace and did not want their foot soldiers to see their leaders engaging with a government that they are fighting against.


This is precisely why it is significant that the Taliban chose to have their ceasefire overlap with that of the Afghan government. The act represents a cautious dip of the toe in public cooperation toward peace, a way for the Taliban to test the waters of publicly working with the Afghan government.

[donttread]

Afghanistan declares temporary cease-fire with Taliban

Smart move. The Taliban is supported by the dominate ethnic population in Afghanistan. And the US supports this move and is shifting focus on ISIL-K and Al Q.

Until a new terror group is created for future war mongers

[Peter1469]

Until a new terror group is created for future war mongers

Extremists will be extremists.

[Ransom]

Until a new terror group is created for future war mongers

This another chance for you to blow an analysis. Weeks before the Paris attacks claiming fake and made up. What possible threat, etc.

Wing.

It.

[Ransom]

Extremists will be extremists.

Thank God for us.

[Peter1469]

Thank God for us.

We decimated al Qaeda prime with our shadow war. We took out a lot of talent. Many of these newer Jihadist organizations have numbers, but not so much quality. That is certainly good for the West.

[Tahuyaman]

Until a new terror group is created for future war mongers

What?

[Peter1469]

What?

Don't lives in his own special world. And isolationist world.

[Tahuyaman]

Don't lives in his own special world. And isolationist world.

I don't know what he meant by that comment. ..... "Until a new terror group is formed for future war mongers"..... It's as if he thinks terrorist organizations spring up for reasons other than to spread their ideology through violence.