Skip to main content
Latest news
Thumbnail

Afghanistan Allies Welcome Ghani’s Ceasefire Announcement

Major partners of Afghanistan have welcomed the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire by President Ashraf Ghani, calling it a positive step towards peace.

When announcing the decision, President Ghani said the ceasefire starts from the 27th of Ramadan (June 12) to the fifth day of Eid-ul-Fitr (June 19).

The US Department of State said in a statement that the United States welcomes President Ghani’s offer of a temporary ceasefire between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban to allow the Afghan people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr without fear of violence. 

“This ceasefire further demonstrates the Afghan government’s commitment to explore ways to end the conflict,” the US Department of State said in a statement on Thursday.  

In support of the Afghan government’s initiative, the statement said, NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and US forces in Afghanistan will respect the ceasefire, as it applies to the Taliban. “It does not apply to ISIS (Daesh) and al-Qaida, nor does it prohibit operations to defend Afghan and Coalition forces from attack,” it added. 

The US Department of State said the United States and its international partners look to the Taliban to honor the ceasefire and demonstrate their respect for the people of Afghanistan who have long called for a reprieve to the Taliban’s campaign of violence.    

Meanwhile, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement that the announcement is another concrete and unprecedented step made by President Ghani, reinforcing the unconditional peace offer he already made on 28 February. 

“It shows his commitment to a genuinely Afghan-led and -owned peace process,” she said in the statement. “The European Union fully supports this initiative of the President, which should be taken up by the Taliban.” 

The UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meanwhile welcomed the announcement by the Afghan government and called on the Taliban to accept the ceasefire. 

“This is an opportunity to reduce levels of violence and create space for talks to begin,” he said in the statement. “We call on the Taliban to join the ceasefire and seize the opportunity to advance the cause of peace which the people of Afghanistan so deserve.”

The ceasefire announcement was also welcomed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan – UNAMA.

Afghanistan Allies Welcome Ghani’s Ceasefire Announcement

US Department of State says the Resolute Support Mission and US forces in Afghanistan will respect the ceasefire, as it applies to the Taliban.

Thumbnail

Major partners of Afghanistan have welcomed the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire by President Ashraf Ghani, calling it a positive step towards peace.

When announcing the decision, President Ghani said the ceasefire starts from the 27th of Ramadan (June 12) to the fifth day of Eid-ul-Fitr (June 19).

The US Department of State said in a statement that the United States welcomes President Ghani’s offer of a temporary ceasefire between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban to allow the Afghan people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr without fear of violence. 

“This ceasefire further demonstrates the Afghan government’s commitment to explore ways to end the conflict,” the US Department of State said in a statement on Thursday.  

In support of the Afghan government’s initiative, the statement said, NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and US forces in Afghanistan will respect the ceasefire, as it applies to the Taliban. “It does not apply to ISIS (Daesh) and al-Qaida, nor does it prohibit operations to defend Afghan and Coalition forces from attack,” it added. 

The US Department of State said the United States and its international partners look to the Taliban to honor the ceasefire and demonstrate their respect for the people of Afghanistan who have long called for a reprieve to the Taliban’s campaign of violence.    

Meanwhile, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement that the announcement is another concrete and unprecedented step made by President Ghani, reinforcing the unconditional peace offer he already made on 28 February. 

“It shows his commitment to a genuinely Afghan-led and -owned peace process,” she said in the statement. “The European Union fully supports this initiative of the President, which should be taken up by the Taliban.” 

The UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meanwhile welcomed the announcement by the Afghan government and called on the Taliban to accept the ceasefire. 

“This is an opportunity to reduce levels of violence and create space for talks to begin,” he said in the statement. “We call on the Taliban to join the ceasefire and seize the opportunity to advance the cause of peace which the people of Afghanistan so deserve.”

The ceasefire announcement was also welcomed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan – UNAMA.

Share this post