Afghans mark start of week-long, partial truce

A week-long, partial truce has come into effect across Afghanistan after the United States, the Taliban militant group and Afghan forces agreed to a so-called "reduction in violence" in the war-torn country.

Saturday’s development came after the United States and the Taliban agreed to sign a peace deal at the end of February aimed at ending America's longest war.

The two sides have been in talks over the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in return for security guarantees from the militant group.

Civilians are celebrating joyfully in the streets to mark a potentially historic turning point in the war, expressing hope for a permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan.      

"A week of no violence will pass in a blink of the eye," an Afghan shopkeeper said. "They should find a long-lasting solution for this country's problem."

Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan General Scott Miller has stressed that Western forces would continually monitor the "reduction in violence".

"The objective here is that we reduce violence for Afghanistan and that it doesn't spike," Miller said, adding that he was confident of the Taliban's overall commitment to the process.

Details of how exactly the reduction in violence will work have remained scant.

The US has said there is an "understanding" for a "significant and nationwide reduction in violence across Afghanistan", while Afghan security forces will remain "on active defense status" during the week.

"The Taliban must demonstrate their commitment to a meaningful reduction in violence," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Twitter.

"Should the Taliban reject the path of peace, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our Afghan partners," he added.

Washington has for weeks been calling on the militants to reduce attacks on US forces, posing it as a condition for resuming formal negotiations on an agreement that would see US troops begin to leave the country after a near two-decade war.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in early February demanded “demonstrable evidence” from the Taliban that they have the capacity to reduce violence before signing any deal to end America’s longest war.

The Taliban and the US had been negotiating the deal for a year and were on the brink of an announcement in September 2019, when President Donald Trump abruptly declared the process “dead.”

Talks restarted in Qatar later in December last year, but were suspended again following an attack near the Bagram military base in Afghanistan, which is run by the US. 

MG