Taliban leader declares ceasefire in border area
Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud has declared a unilateral ceasefire in the South Waziristan region of Pakistan on the Afghan border
According to the Pakistani daily Dawn, the ceasefire was declared on Wednesday after security forces started vacating positions in key places.
“Since the army has minimised the scale of operations, the Taliban shura decided to halt activities across the country for an indefinite period,” Maulvi Umar, Mehsud’s spokesman, told Dawn by telephone.
“There is no secret deal with the government. This is our unilateral decision,” the spokesman said in reply to a question whether militants had struck a fresh deal with the security forces.
Umar said the shura (or consultative meeting) that endorsed the truce was held at a secret location.
But Pakistan army spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said he had not received any formal announcement regarding a ceasefire.
"Troops have not stopped the operation and it will continue till all strategic objectives are achieved," he said. “We are waiting and monitoring the situation. It could be a strategic move by the militants.”
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1) Taliban leader declares ceasefire in border area
Thursday, February 07, 2008
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