(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News) KABUL (Pajhwok): There are hopeful indications of peace parleys between the Afghan government and the Taliban, says US Defense Secretary James Mattis.
After 17 years of fighting in the country, the armed opposition embraced a three-day Eid ceasefire offered by President Ashraf Ghani.
€œClearly Ghani has hit a responsive chord,€ Mattis was quoted as saying by AFP. €œNot just on the Afghan government side, but also it cut deep into the Taliban. We€™ll see how this goes forward.€
During the first-ever truce between the two sides, widely hailed as an unprecedented development, combatants hugged and exchanged sweets in different parts of Afghanistan.
Mattis spoke reporters as he headed to mainland China on his maiden visit. He hoped to initiate a "transparent strategic dialogue" with China.
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