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Afghan Taliban tells fighters to stay at posts

KABUL: The Taliban today ordered its fighters in Afghanistan to avoid gatherings of security forces and civilians, a day after a suicide bomber killed 25 people including members of the militant group celebrating an unprecedented ceasefire. 

The spokesman of Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid took to the twitter saying: “To avoid harm to civilians, which God forbid we may cause (by our presence), all commanders should stop mujahedeen from attending such gatherings. The enemy has misused the ceasefire issue and there is a chance of more such bad incidents happening.”

Saturday’s attack on the outskirts of Jalalabad in the eastern province of Nangarhar marred an otherwise extraordinary Eid holiday as Taliban members hugged, posed for selfies and prayed with Afghan police and troops, politicians and civilians around the country – scenes that would have been unthinkable only a few days ago. It was the first formal nationwide ceasefire since the 2001 US invasion.

A relevant piece published earlier: Afghans greeted the beginning of Eid with prayers on Friday as the Muslim holiday dawned in peace for the first time since the 2001 US-led invasion, after the Taliban agreed to an unprecedented ceasefire. Flocking to mosques for special morning worship marking the first day of the festival, youngsters in the war-battered country expressed cautious optimism, following the suspension of fighting between Afghan security forces and the militants. “On almost every Eid we have had attacks – this is a rare Eid without violence,” Samiullah, 17, who is almost the same age as the conflict, told  Media after prayers at the Shah-e Do Shamshira mosque in central Kabul. “We are hopeful peace will come to Afghanistan.” Fourteen-year-old Sohrab Ahmad, who earns money polishing shoes outside the mosque, said he could not remember an Eid without fighting. “I believe there will be peace between the Taliban and the Afghan government,” he said. But not everyone was so hopeful. “I don’t think there will be peace in Afghanistan. We are seeing an increase in attacks on a daily basis,” Imran, 13, told the Media. (Published on 16th June 2018) 

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.