US Welcomes Taliban's Announcement Of 3-Day Ceasefire During Eid Holiday - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th May, 2021) The United States welcomes the three-day ceasefire in Afghanistan during the Islamic holiday Eid that was announced by the Taliban, US State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Monday.

"We welcome [the Taliban's] announcement of a three-day ceasefire over the upcoming Eid holiday," Price told reporters.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reciprocated on Monday, ordering government forces to halt armed hostilities for the three days of Eid, while calling for a permanent ceasefire, Afghanistan's Tolo news reported.

Eid in islam marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, which is scheduled to end on May 12 this year. A three-day mutual ceasefire by the Taliban and Kabul has been annual since 2018.

Despite the ongoing peace talks, the Afghan government and the Taliban continue fighting each other on the ground. The confrontation unfolds on the backdrop of the withdrawal of US-led foreign troops, which is expected to complete on September 11.