Afghans prepare for Eid, hope for peace
Eid greeting from Taliban's top leader makes no mention of truce
PHOTO: AFP
JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN:
At a bustling outdoor market in the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad, farmers tend to long-haired goats and customers choose an animal to sacrifice for the upcoming festival of Eidul Azha.
But a key question looms over preparations: is peace about to come to Afghanistan, or will four decades of war continue unabated?
"We are thirsty for peace in Afghanistan. Every day, large numbers of our people are getting killed," local resident Sayed Jan said. "We are celebrating Eid with sad news."
Like many Afghans, Jan remembers well a short ceasefire between Taliban and Afghan forces during last year's Eidul Fitr, when the wartime foes put down guns and exchanged greetings.
Sacrificial animals start trickling in as Eidul Azha approaches
This year, the United States and the Taliban are widely believed to be in the final stretch of a push for a deal that would see America quit Afghanistan in return for various Taliban guarantees.
However, even as the negotiations have appeared to progress, the battlefield and civilian toll has continued to climb, with July the deadliest month for more than two years, and it remains unclear when a ceasefire might come.
A much-anticipated Eid greeting from the Taliban's top leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Thursday made no mention of the truce that many Afghans long for.
"The Taliban should sit with the Afghan government for a peace agreement and they should announce a ceasefire during Eid," said Hamim Sadiq, another local resident.
High steaks: Cows go from roofs to plates in Pakistan for Eid
"The Afghan people should celebrate Eid in peace. We have lost everything during more than 40 years of war."
Jalalabad is one part of Afghanistan that has suffered deeply. Aside from Taliban fighting, the Islamic State group has maintained a stubborn presence here since 2015 and the city has been the scene of frequent attacks.
On Wednesday, at the market in Jalalabad, customers examined the wide selection of goats, which ranged in size and colour. Some had been daubed bright pink, while others had lanky black hair.
At a bustling outdoor market in the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad, farmers tend to long-haired goats and customers choose an animal to sacrifice for the upcoming festival of Eidul Azha.
But a key question looms over preparations: is peace about to come to Afghanistan, or will four decades of war continue unabated?
"We are thirsty for peace in Afghanistan. Every day, large numbers of our people are getting killed," local resident Sayed Jan said. "We are celebrating Eid with sad news."
Like many Afghans, Jan remembers well a short ceasefire between Taliban and Afghan forces during last year's Eidul Fitr, when the wartime foes put down guns and exchanged greetings.
Sacrificial animals start trickling in as Eidul Azha approaches
This year, the United States and the Taliban are widely believed to be in the final stretch of a push for a deal that would see America quit Afghanistan in return for various Taliban guarantees.
However, even as the negotiations have appeared to progress, the battlefield and civilian toll has continued to climb, with July the deadliest month for more than two years, and it remains unclear when a ceasefire might come.
A much-anticipated Eid greeting from the Taliban's top leader Haibatullah Akhundzada on Thursday made no mention of the truce that many Afghans long for.
"The Taliban should sit with the Afghan government for a peace agreement and they should announce a ceasefire during Eid," said Hamim Sadiq, another local resident.
High steaks: Cows go from roofs to plates in Pakistan for Eid
"The Afghan people should celebrate Eid in peace. We have lost everything during more than 40 years of war."
Jalalabad is one part of Afghanistan that has suffered deeply. Aside from Taliban fighting, the Islamic State group has maintained a stubborn presence here since 2015 and the city has been the scene of frequent attacks.
On Wednesday, at the market in Jalalabad, customers examined the wide selection of goats, which ranged in size and colour. Some had been daubed bright pink, while others had lanky black hair.