SAYED SALAHUDDIN June 30, 2018 21:49 90 Ghani is facing an internal government rift, but is supposed to hold long-delayed parliamentary polls in October “Many Taliban were exhausted by the war,” Ghani said KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced the end of the unilateral cease-fire with the Taliban on Saturday, but said he was willing to renew the truce in future if the insurgents agreed. Ghani unexpectedly declared a one-week truce ahead of the Eid festival and extended it until yesterday, while the Taliban only observed a three-day halt to its attacks over the period. The US backed the Afghan leader’s peace initiative, which resulted in hundreds of Taliban fighters abandoning the battle fields and pouring into cities to celebrate Eid with government forces. But days later they staged deadly attacks on the same troops, drawing criticizm from some politicians. At a press conference on Saturday at the presidential palace, Ghani said the truce, although brief, was a success since it broke a lengthy stalemate in the war. “The truce has ended. Our forces are allowed to conduct operations (as normal in the past),” Ghani said. “Many Taliban were exhausted by the war,” he said. “The nation, the region and the world want peace.” By extending the truce, the government had accepted the demand of the nation, he said. “Now the nation needs to put pressure on the Taliban … the Taliban are facing the nation. Now the Taliban can decide how to deal with this pressure of the nation with regards to peace.” Ghani said he was ready for a short- or long-term truce with the Taliban. Although he gave no sign of any willingness on the part of the Taliban for peace talks with his embattled government, Ghani said he would not resort to a hidden deal with the insurgents and that no one had the right to veto any peace talks. The Taliban could not be reached immediately for comment. But the group recently said they will ignore peace efforts at home and abroad, such as calls by clerics, and will fight against foreign troops under US command and those who support them. Ghani is facing an internal government rift, but is supposed to hold long-delayed parliamentary polls in October and a presidential election early next year when he is expected to seek a return to office. The Afghan leader desperately needs a truce with the militants to allow voting to take place safely following deadly attacks during polling in recent months.