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KABUL: The timeline of a weeklong partial ceasefire agreement between US, Afghan forces and Taliban ended up at 12:00am (local time) of Friday night. The weeklong reduction in violence will be followed with a peace deal to be signed between Washington and Taliban in Qatar, rolling out direct talks among Afghans and a gradual foreign troop withdrawal.
The conflict sides had agreed on reduction in violence instead of a ceasefire agreement after more than ten rounds of talks between US top negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives in the Gulf state of Qatar. The seven-day partial truce was not quit out of the woods, claiming the life of 14 people and leaving 44 others wounded. But the rate of casualties had been as 400 people daily before the weeklong reduction in violence.
About six security incidents occurred on initial days of the week in several provinces.
The security authorities said that a Taliban attack on public uprising forces in northern Balkh province, had left three people dead and five other were wounded. Three women received injuries in a roadside min planted by the Taliban in southern Helmand province. Officials said the Taliban had abducted at least two police personnel in northern Samangan province.
On the fourth day of the week, the Taliban carried out several attacks on security forces checkpoints in central Ghazni and southern Zabul provinces, where two policemen were killed and 11 others received injuries.
Ministry of Interior’s Spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said that four people including a childe were killed and four others wounded on the fifth day of weeklong partial truce across the country.
Another spokesman for the ministry, Marwa Amini said that the state of violence has been reduced in many provinces. She said over 14 people have been killed and 34 others wounded.
On Wednesday, a motorbike bombing in PD 6th of Kabul wounded nine people. No militant groups, including the Taliban have asserted the responsibility.
The weeklong partial truce was following by a number of marches and rallies, organized by the civil right activists and citizens, calling for a permanent ceasefire as the country has gone through sever violence since almost past four decades.
The Afghans expect that a short time partial truce would pave the ground for a sustainable peace.
According to reports, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with high level representatives of world’s countries will participate the peace deal ceremony, which is going to be held in Qatar.
