Not world powers but Tribal elders achieve ceasefire in Taliban-struck Afghanistan
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Kabul, May 20: Tribal elders in eastern Afghanistan have achieved something that has long eluded world leaders; a ceasefire between the Taliban and the Afghan govt. Tribal elders drafted a demand letter, known locally as an "Ariza", which was then signed by two local officials of each the Taliban and the govt.
The month-long stoppage in hostilities in the Alingar district of Laghman province, one of the hardest hit by violence, was called to allow local farmers to harvest their wheat crop and students to sit annual examinations. Reuters reports Jaber Alkozai, resident of Alingar, saying that "A ceasefire has been something the world's most powerful countries were trying to establish in Afghanistan, but unfortunately, couldn't."
According to Reuters, there have been no reports of fighting in Alinger since the ceasefire began on Tuesday, despite heavy clashes elsewhere in Laghman. The ceasefire, which will last until June 21, is not the first such agreement during the war, but it comes at a critical time. Fighting has intensified across the country in the wake of Washington's announcement that it would unconditionally pull out all U.S. troops by September.
Taliban had agreed to the arrangement, which they described as an agreement with locals, not the govt. The one-page demand letter, signed by local govt officials, the military and the Taliban, stipulates both sides will remain limited to areas already held and will undertake no movement or operations during the ceasefire. "Both sides must take tribes' problems into consideration and help them in solving them; whichever side violates the above mentioned items will be guilty before the tribe," the letter said.