ISLAMABAD – The Taliban and Afghanistan's president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
The Taliban order, which was soon followed by an announcement via Twitter from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announcing the government “extends the offer of peace," comes just days after U.S.
peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul and Doha. Khalilzad on his trip urged both the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence and move ahead with intra-Afghan negotiations, a key pillar of a U.S.
peace deal with the Taliban signed in February to allow American troops to leave Afghanistan. The deal was also touted at the time as