One day after Taliban fighters killed 30 Afghan soldiers, U.S. and NATO officials expressed hope that an unprecedented three-day cease-fire that preceded the violence could be the beginning of the end of the 17-year war in Afghanistan.
The cease-fire, which coincided with the Muslim holiday of Eid, ended Sunday, but was marked by images of members of the Taliban hugging, dancing, and praying with Afghan civilians and some soldiers.
“For many Afghans, Taliban and pro-government alike, it was an exhilarating first taste of what peace might look like,” Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs told a House committee Wednesday.
“Taliban fighters wandered the streets of the cities. They took selfies with Afghan soldiers. They sampled Eid treats with Afghan citizens. And they worshipped alongside those they had been exchanging fire with just a few days earlier,” Wells said.
“If Afghan troops and Taliban foot soldiers can pray together, then the Afghan people have every reason to believe that their leaders can come together and negotiate an end to this war.”
At the Pentagon, the British deputy commander of the NATO Resolute Support mission called the scenes of Taliban and Afghan forces embracing “remarkable.”
“For the first time in a generation, the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban participated in a cease-fire over Eid, one that was observed by both sides,” said, Lt. Gen. Richard Cripwell in briefing for Pentagon reporters from Kabul.
“Although the Taliban ceasefire has now ended, President [Ashraf] Ghani’s decision to extend the government’s cease-fire and reiterate his offer of unconditional talks shows just how serious the desire for peace is here in Afghanistan,” Cripwell said.
In an open letter to the American people last February, the Taliban expressed its desire to negotiate directly with the United States, not the government of Ghani.
In her testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Wells indicated the U.S. was prepared to take part in negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, and that its desired outcomes for any peace process were clear and have not changed.
“The Taliban must renounce violence, break ties with al Qaeda, and accept the Afghan Constitution, including its protections for women and minorities,” Wells said. “The key question remains: will the Taliban join a peace process and make the compromises necessary to end the war? We’re prepared to test this proposition.”
