KABUL, July 27, SPA -- An Afghan official says the government and a Taliban commander who controls a small part of northwestern Afghanistan have agreed to a cease-fire. Seyamak Herawi, a spokesman in President Hamid Karzai'soffice, says the agreement will allow a road constructionproject to move forward and for presidential candidates toopen offices in the region ahead of the country's Aug. 20election. The agreement covers the Bala Morghab district ofnorthwestern Badghis province, an area where the Afghangovernment has little or no control. The cease-fire wasagreed to on Saturday and was reached with the help oftribal elders, The Associated Press reported. Herawi says the Afghan government hopes to reach similartypes of agreements in other violence-plagued regions ofthe country.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/687899