Pakistani Taliban announce temporary ceasefire
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, June 25, IRNA
Pakistani-Taliban-Ceasefire
Pakistani Taliban in the country's volatile North Waziristan tribal region on Sunday announced a temporary ceasefire to give time to a traditional tribal jirga, or council of elders, to solve the crisis in the tribal area.
The government in a quick response welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a good omen.
A purported spokesman for the local Taliban, Abdullah Farhad, made the announcement with a condition that Pakistani troops be removed from roadside checkposts and confined to their forts during the ceasefire.
The spokesman said that troops would have to be withdrawn from North Waziristan after the ceasefire expires.
The governor of North West Frontier Province, Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai, welcomed the ceasefire and hoped that it will help efforts to find a solution to the problem.
The government plans a jirga to restore peace in the area, which has seen violence over the past several months.
The Taliban have come up with several conditions, which include a demand that the government restore privileges of tribal elders and open up all markets that were closed by the authorities during the operation to wipe out suspected Taliban elements hiding in the region.
The Taliban spokesman has also called for the release of all tribesmen arrested during the operation.
He said the Taliban will not accept deployment of troops in checkposts and only local militiamen must run checkposts.
"There should only be 20 to 25 checkposts and the rest should be removed," he said.
The governor did not comment on the Taliban demands but said that all matters will be considered in the proposed jirga meeting
2020/235/2321/1414
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