Afghan Police Allowed to Respond to Taliban Attacks During Ceasefire - Minister

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Afghan police are permitted to respond to the attacks perpetrated by the Taliban radical movement despite the authorities declaring a nationwide ceasefire, Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said.

"The commanders are allowed to respond if the Afghan forces are subject to attacks by the Taliban*. The ceasefire does not mean that we should not protect ourselves," Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said, as quoted by the Afghan 1TV channel.

The interior minister went on saying that the country's authorities welcomed the Taliban's truce and expressed hope that it would be extended.

The announcement precedes a three-day truce declared by the Taliban in connection with the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday, celebrated by Muslims on June 15.

READ MORE: Taliban Vows 'Bright Future' for Afghanistan When US Troops Leave

On June 7, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a temporary unilateral ceasefire with the Taliban for the period between June 11 and June 19 to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

However, on the first day of the ceasefire, the Taliban carried out an attack in Afghanistan's central Ghazni province.

Afghanistan has long been suffering from unstable political, social and security situation due to the simmering militant insurgency, including that of Taliban and the Daesh* terrorist groups.

*Taliban and Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) are terrorist groups banned in Russia