Tribal elders broker local Taliban, Afghan government ceasefire

Tribaleldersin easternAfghanistan have achieved something that has long eluded world leaders - aceasefirebetween theTalibanand theAfghangovernment.

The month-long stoppage in hostilities in the Alingar district of Laghman province, one of the hardest hit by violence, was called to allowlocalfarmers to harvest their wheat crop and students to sit annual examinations.

"Aceasefirehas been something the world's most powerful countries were trying to establish inAfghanistan, but unfortunately, couldn't," Jaber Alkozai, resident of Alingar, told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Tribaleldersdrafted a demand letter, knownlocally as an "Ariza", which was then signed by twolocalofficials of each theTalibanand thegovernment.

Reuters has reviewed a copy of the letter. There have been no reports of fighting in Alinger since theceasefirebegan on Tuesday, despite heavy clashes elsewhere in Laghman.

Theceasefire, which will last until June 21, is not the first such agreement during the war, but it comes at a critical time. Fighting has intensified across the country in the wake of Washington's announcement that it would unconditionally pull out all UStroops by September.

Washington-led Western capitals and other influential regional countries have so far been unable to convince theTalibanto halt fighting againstAfghanforces for an extended period, despite protracted attempts and talks.

Qari Nabi Sarwar, atribalelder of Alingar, said farmers had been facing another year of the loss of ready-to-harvest wheat due to fighting. Dozens of stacks of wheat were burned to ashes in previous years after being hit in the crossfire by ammunition, including rocket launchers.

"Farmers were preparing to get the result of their toil, and theTalibanandAfghanforces were fingers-on-triggers, looking for a small excuse to fire at each other," Sarwar told Reuters by phone.

Farmers in the region plan to begin their wheat harvest on May 22, which marks the first day of the thirdAfghansolar month of Jawza, traditionally the start of harvest across the country.

Haji Abdul Waris, a member of the delegation that approached both sides, told Reuters theceasefirewould also prevent thousands of students from missing their exams "as their schools are turned into trenches".

Locals are happy with the development because they believe it serves as an important example that aceasefireacrossAfghanistan can be achieved by "true and honest"tribalelders, Alkozai said.

Asadullah Dawlatzai, a spokesman for the Laghman provincial governor, said thegovernmentwas working withlocaltribaleldersand religious scholars to expand theceasefireinto other areas.

"Through this, thelocalgovernmentis trying to reach a permanentceasefireeven if it is on a village, district or provincial level," he said, adding that it was also in force in Laghman's provincial capital, Mehtarlam.

A spokesman for theTalibandid not respond to requests for comment. A source in the insurgent group confirmed theTalibanhad agreed to the arrangement, which they described as an agreement withlocals, not thegovernment.

The one-page demand letter, signed bylocalgovernmentofficials, the military and theTaliban, stipulates both sides will remain limited to areas already held and will undertake no movement or operations during theceasefire.

"Both sides must take tribes' problems into consideration and help them in solving them; whichever side violates the abovementioned items will be guilty before the tribe," the letter said.