Afghans deserve much more than an Eid ceasefire, says US envoy Khalilzad

Amid the surge in violence in Afghanistan in recent weeks, US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad on Tuesday welcomed the announcements by the Taliban and the Afghan government to uphold ceasefire in the country during the festival of Eid.

"I welcome the announcements by the Taliban and the Afghan government to observe an Eid ceasefire. Violence has been horrific in recent weeks, and the Afghan people have paid the price," Khalilzad tweeted.

A day after the deadly bombing outside a school in Kabul claimed the lives of over 60 students, the Taliban on Sunday night had announced that they would observe a three-day ceasefire for the festival of Eid. Later on Monday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also instructed all Afghan forces to observe the ceasefire during Eid.

Noting the recent rise in violence, top US diplomat Khalilzad on Tuesday said that Afghans deserve a political settlement and a permanent ceasefire.

"But Afghans deserve much more: a political settlement and a permanent ceasefire. We, therefore, urge accelerated negotiations among Afghans on a political settlement and an end to this senseless war. This is what the Afghan people yearn for. The United States stands with them," he added.

This comes after at least three explosions that took place near Sayed-ul-Shuhada High School in the west of Kabul on Saturday afternoon. As many as 63 people, all students, were killed in a Kabul school bombing and 150 more were wounded, TOLO News reported citing sources and relatives of victims.

Amid the ongoing drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan, the war-torn country has seen a spike in the incidents of violence in recent weeks, leading to casualties of Afghan security forces and civilians.

( With inputs from ANI )