Taliban announce unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan

October 13th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Before launching a full-scale military operation in South Waziristan, the Pakistan Government has initiated back-channel negotiations with Taliban commanders in North Waziristan in order to isolate insurgents of the Baitullah group. As part of the initiative, a jirga comprising more than 20 tribal elders arrived in Peshawar for talks with civilian and military leadership, The Dawn reports.

September 18th, 2009 ABU DHABI - A moon-sighting committee in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will hold a meeting Saturday to announce the last day of Ramzan, WAM news agency reported. The committee will analyze the data collected by the moon-sighting experts before announcing the last day of Ramzan.

September 3rd, 2009 DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has distributed free Ramzan meals in 720 villages of three Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, WAM news agency reported. The meals were distributed as part of the activities launched by Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, wife of UAE's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the month of Ramzan, the report said Wednesday.

August 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Sunday the security forces will continue their offensives against the Taliban during the holy month of Ramadan, the Online news agency reported. "We are not interested in a ceasefire," Malik said.

August 23rd, 2009 MIRAMSHAH - The Taliban has declared a unilateral ceasefire in North Waziristan during the fasting month of Ramazan. Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur's spokesmnan, Ahmadullah Ahmadi, called local journalists from an undisclosed location and said the outfit has decided to shun its operations for the next 40 days.The Taliban will not attack security forces during this period," Ahmadi said.

August 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A Taliban faction in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region Saturday declared a 40-day unilateral ceasefire because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ahmadullah Ahmadi, spokesman for the Taliban group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar, said: "In respect of the holy month of Ramazan and for the sake of the people, the local Taliban Shura (council) has decided to declare a unilateral ceasefire." The NNI news agency quoted Ahmadi as saying that Taliban commanders in the region have been ordered to stop attacks on the security forces.

April 26th, 2009 COLOMBO - Tamil Tiger rebels fighting government forces in north-east Sri Lanka on Sunday evening declared a unilateral ceasefire, following an "unprecedented humanitarian crisis", a BBC report stated on Sunday. A Tamil Tiger spokesman termed reason behind the move as "unprecedented humanitarian crisis", said the report.

February 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban Tuesday declared an indefinite ceasefire in Pakistan's restive Swat valley where Islamabad has allowed the Taliban to impose Shariat (Islamic law), Geo TV reported. Maulana Fazlullah, leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has held a peace parley last week after the Shariat imposition.

February 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A Taliban commander in Pakistan's tribal region Bajaur has announced a unilateral ceasefire, a television channel reported Tuesday. Maulana Faqir Mohammad, a local Taliban leader in Bajaur tribal agency, has made the announcement on the radio, Dawn News TV channel quoted sources as saying.

February 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban Tuesday declared an indefinite ceasefire in Pakistan's restive Swat region where Islamabad has allowed the militant group to impose Shariat (Islamic law). The outlawed Tahreek-i-Taliban Swat (TTS) declared the indefinite ceasefire in Swat, Geo TV reported Tuesday.

February 23rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Disputing the Pakistani government's claims that it has brokered a 'permanent ceasefire' in the Taliban-infested Swat Valley, the militia has said they would review their 10-day truce after its expiry. The government announced Saturday that it has reached a 'permanent ceasefire' with the Taliban in Swat as part of an agreement brokered by the head of the defunct Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi, Maulana Sufi Mohammad.

February 23rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A Pakistani government official claimed that a 'permanent ceasefire' was reached with militants in the troubled Swat valley, but the Taliban said their Shura council would decide once their own 10-day truce ends next week, media reports said Sunday. The Taliban last weekend announced a unilateral ceasefire, which will expire Wednesday, to welcome talks between a hard-line Muslim cleric, Maulana Sufi Mohammad, and the authorities for enforcement of Sharia laws in the region.

February 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Taliban militants Saturday agreed to a 'permanent ceasefire' in the country's northwestern Swat Valley, officials said.

February 14th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Taliban militants in northwestern Pakistan's restive Swat Valley Sunday announced a 10-day ceasefire to facilitate a deal between the regional government and a militant group to enforce Islamic law in the district, the Geo TV reported. 'In view of the ongoing efforts for enforcement of Shariah (Islamic rule) in Malakand division, we announce a unilateral ceasefire for 10 days,' Haji Muslim Khan, spokesman for the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat, told the Geo TV.

February 14th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Taliban in Pakistan's insurgency-hit Swat Valley Sunday announced a 10-day ceasefire to facilitate negotiations between the regional government and an Islamic group, media reports said. 'We are announcing a 10-day ceasefire,' said Muslim Khan, spokesman for the Swat Taliban in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.