Anti-Taliban Fight Resumes in Afghanistan

Afghan security forces will continue operations against the Taliban following the end of an 18-day unilateral ceasefire.  “The ceasefire is over. The Afghan security and defense forces are allowed to restart their military operations,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told reporters. The government’s ceasefire, which lasted 18 days after it was extended once, overlapped with the Taliban’s independent three-day truce for the Muslim holy day Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, DW reported. The three days of no fighting were unprecedented in the nearly 17-year conflict. Ghani said the ceasefire had been 98% successful and had shown that the majority of the rebels wanted peace, adding that it was now the “Taliban’s turn to give a positive response.” “I am ready to extend the ceasefire anytime when the Taliban are ready,” he said. But after a few days of the Taliban’s fighters openly socializing with government security forces and civilians over Eid, the Taliban’s leaders last Sunday ordered its men back to their posts. The Taliban vowed Tuesday to continue their fight against the government and their foreign backers, brushing aside the rising number of civilian casualties.