President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman described the truce as a ‘significant step’, and said he had ordered troops to observe the break in hostilities. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock
Al Jazeera: Afghanistan ceasefire holds as hundreds of Taliban fighters freed
Government has released 317 Taliban fighters since beginning of Eid al-Adha, office of National Security Council said.
A ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan government appears to be holding for the third and final day, as hundreds of the armed group's prisoners are released in a bid to bring peace talks closer.
The government has released 317 Taliban prisoners since the beginning of the three-day Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on Friday, the country's office of National Security Council said on Twitter on Sunday.
Calm prevailed across much of Afghanistan, with officials not reporting any major clashes between the two sides since the truce began to mark Eid.
President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban have both indicated that long-delayed negotiations could begin straight after Eid.
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Update #1: Afghan ceasefire holds as hundreds of Taliban prisoners freed (CNA/AFP)
Update #2: Afghans Enjoy Calm of Eid Ceasefire, Urge Peace (TOLO News)
WNU Editor: It was the Taliban who announced this three day ceasefire. A promising sign that maybe .... and it is a very big maybe .... that there be a path for peace to return to Afghanistan.
Not a bad deal, don't shoot for a few days and get back hundreds of fighters. WNU is right, you have to start somewhere.
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