TTP announces month long ceasefire

KABUL (TTP) on Saturday announced a unilateral one month ceasefire amid optimism that it could restart the stalled peace process with the government.

Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman of the proscribed Pakistani Taliban, directed all the groups to abide by the latest announcement of ceasefire.

Taliban said the government gave positive response to their recommendations for implementations, which prompted them to announce break in fighting.

The Taliban top brass issued directives to the groups to honour the ceasefire he said, adding the decision was taken after broad-based consultations with the members of Taliban’s committee nominated for peace talks with the government.

Thousands of civilians and security personnel had been killed in bombing blasts and other violence related incidents across Pakistan since the banned TTP waged a war against the government some seven years back.

The nascent peace talks between the government and the TTP received setback when the Mohmand chapter of TTP killed 23 Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel last month.

In response, the military started air strikes in North Waziristan and parts of the tribal region in a move to hit the militants’ hideouts, which triggered mass exodus of families to safer places.

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