MOSCOW, June 14 (Sputnik) – The Afghan police are permitted to respond to the attacks perpetrated by the Taliban radical movement despite the authorities declaring a nationwide ceasefire, Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said Thursday.
The announcement precedes a three-day truce declared by the Taliban in connection with the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday, celebrated by Muslims on June 15.
“The commanders are allowed to respond if the Afghan forces are subject to attacks by the Taliban. The ceasefire does not mean that we should not protect ourselves,” Barmak said, as quoted by the Afghan 1TV channel.
The interior minister added that the country’s authorities welcomed the Taliban’s truce and expressed hope that it would be extended.
On June 7, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a temporary unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban for the period between June 11 and June 19 to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. However, on the first day of the ceasefire, the Taliban carried out an attack in Afghanistan’s central Ghazni province.
Afghanistan has long been suffering from unstable political, social and security situation due to the simmering militant insurgency, including that of Taliban and the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia).
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