(Kabul) Long postponed, the peace negotiations in Afghanistan between the government and the Taliban appear to be on the verge of being able to begin, as soon as next week President Ashraf Ghani even came forward on Tuesday, who gave his downstream to a short truce decreed by the insurgents.
Usman Sharifi with Jay Deshmukh in Bombay
France Media Agency
The United States, which has been hoping for such a breakthrough since signing their historic accord with the Taliban at the end of February after more than 18 years of war, have "welcomed the announcements of a ceasefire" and called for the "rapid" launch of inter-Afghan negotiations.
This ceasefire should come into effect on Friday, the day on which Eid al-Adha begins, the feast of the Sacrifice traditionally marked by family reunions.
The announcement of this second suspension of fighting by the rebels in just over two months came after the head of state declared, on the same day, that he hoped for the opening of talks on "direct" peace with them "in a week".
The Taliban, meanwhile, said last week that they were ready to start talks with the government in Kabul as soon as Eid ended.
These inter-Afghan negotiations were initially scheduled to take place from 07 March, but this This date has been passed due to a confused political situation in Kabul and a stagnation in the process of exchanging prisoners, the completion of which is required as a precondition by the rebels.
The agreement of 28 February between the United States and the Taliban indeed provides for the release by the Afghan government of 3500 insurgents and that by the latter of 1000 members of the security forces.
In the meantime, the clashes continued, the rebels having almost daily attacked soldiers or police.
Result, 3500 soldiers killed in five months, according to the authorities, who also report the death of 775 civilians.
Three-day ceasefire 5000
"All the mujahideen [...] are ordered not to carry out operations against the enemy during the three days and nights of Eid el-Adha", announced Tuesday in a press release. word of the Taliban Zabihullah Mujahid.
But any possible attack by the "enemy" will result in the use of force in response, he warned.
The Afghan government shortly after "ordered all security and defense forces to respect the ceasefire," according to Sediq Sediqqi, President Ghani's spokesperson.
However, he added, they will have to "respond if the Taliban attack our forces or our people."
"To demonstrate the government's commitment to peace, the Islamic Republic will soon complete the release of 3500 Taliban prisoners," the head of state in a speech at the presidential palace.
He said he hoped with this gesture "the opening of direct negotiations with the Taliban in a week".
Kabul has released most of these 5000 detainees, but assures that some Taliban released from prison are returning to the battlefield.
Ashraf Ghani further urged the insurgents to accept "a permanent and complete ceasefire" during the talks intended to try to end almost 19 years of war in Afghanistan.
"The ball is now in the court of the Taliban and the international community", he stressed.
The rebels had already declared a three-day ceasefire in May at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Government troops also observed this truce, but it was quickly broken, with the resumption of bloody attacks by the Taliban.
A first cease-fire, the only other since the conflict broke out in 1000, had been decreed in June 2018 and was also of short duration.
