TTP extends ceasefire for another five days

Militant outfit says new directives will be issued on May 16, tells fighters not to attack security forces till then

PESHAWAR:

The ceasefire reached between the Pakistan Army and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on the account of Eidul Fitr has been extended by the latter for another five days.

There will be a ceasefire till May 15 between the two sides. 

The TTP announced this in an order issued by its military commission on Tuesday. The militant outfit also warned its fighters against defying the order, directing them to avoid skirmishes with security forces till further orders.

According to the order, the ceasefire will remain in place till May 15 and new directives will be issued on May 16.

Read Taliban shifting terrorists away from Pak-Afghan border after Islamabad warning

It may be noted here that the Taliban and the military had reached a ceasefire on account of Eid for 10 days. The terms and conditions of this truce have not been released either by the TTP or the military.

On May 7, a grand jirga in South Waziristan formed a 35-member committee to broker talks between the army and the TTP after the deadline given by security forces to evacuate the area in order to carry out an operation to cleanse it of threats expired.

The army had given a deadline to the Mehsud tribe to evacuate the area so that they could conduct an operation.