15 civilians killed as Taliban declares 3-day ceasefire

In this file photo Afghan soldiers walk past debris near the main entrance of a prison after a raid in Jalalabad last year. Pic/AFP

At least 15 people, mainly civilians, were killed in Afghanistan on Monday, the same day Taliban militants announced a nationwide three-day ceasefire for the upcoming Eid-al Fitr holidays.

The holidays are due to start either on Wednesday or Thursday depending on the sighting of the new moon, but the latest violence, which officials blamed on the Taliban, cast a pall over the news of any short-lived reduction in violence, reports dpa news agency.

All Taliban fighters are instructed to cease offensive operations across the country from the first to the third day of Eid-al Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, a Taliban statement published late on Sunday read.

Taliban fighters are prohibited from visiting government-controlled areas or giving "enemy personnel" access to areas controlled by the Islamists. A response from the government in Kabul is still pending. The Taliban has declared ceasefires to mark the end of Ramadan in the past.

There have been growing concerns about the security situation in Afghanistan since May 1, the date that international troops officially began their withdrawal. The process is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.

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