塔利班宣布有限停火

The Taliban announced Saturday it will halt offensive operations against government security forces across Afghanistan during three-day festivities of Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

The cease-fire coincides with the unilateral weeklong halting of anti-Taliban operations by the Afghan government starting Tuesday.

An insurgent statement said the Taliban leadership has also ordered his fighters not to hold meetings in civilian areas during the holiday period to enable their countrymen peacefully celebrate the festival. But it vowed to continue attacks on U.S.-led foreign troops in the country.

This will be the first time since 2002 that the Islamist insurgency will cease hostilities in Afghanistan where it currently controls or contests nearly half of 407 Afghan districts.

Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan, Omar Zakhilwal swiftly welcomed the insurgent gesture.

The Taliban in its announcement from its chief Mullah Hibatullah Akhunzada, has also said it will release some prisoners after seeking commitments from them that they will not rejoin Afghan forces.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani earlier this week ordered his forces to stop offensive operations against the Taliban to encourage insurgents to come to the table and seek a negotiated end to the 17 year old conflict.

The move has been widely welcomed and the U.S. has promised to honor Ghani's peace gesture.

Washington confirmed Thursday it has asked neighboring Pakistan to help in facilitating an Afghan peace and reconciliation process by persuading the Taliban to engage in talks with Kabul.塔利班星期六宣布，开斋节3天期间，在阿富汗全国停止对政府军的攻击行动。开斋节标志着穆斯林斋月的结束。

塔利班的停火正值阿富汗政府星期二开始单方停止打击塔利班的行动一星期。

塔利班的声明说，塔利班领导层已经下令，其武装人员在开斋节期间不得在平民区开会，以便让同胞们和平度过开斋节。但是塔利班誓言将继续在阿富汗打击美国为首的外国联军。

这将是2002年以来塔利班第一次在阿富汗停火。塔利班目前控制或试图控制阿富汗407个区中的将近一半。

阿富汗驻巴基斯坦大使扎克希尔瓦尔立即表示欢迎塔利班的停火。

塔利班在其领袖哈巴图拉·阿坤札达（Haibatullah Akhunzada）发出的停火宣布中说，将释放一些俘虏，但是他们首先要保证不会重新加入阿富汗政府军。

阿富汗总统加尼本星期早些时候命令政府军停止进攻塔利班，鼓励塔利班参加谈判，争取结束已为时17年的冲突。

阿富汗政府的行动受到广泛欢迎，美国保证支持加尼总统的和平姿态。

美国星期四证实，已经邀请邻国巴基斯坦帮助推动阿富汗和平与和解进程，劝说塔利班与喀布尔政府谈判。