Taliban announces unilateral ceasefire in Pakistan’s tribal region

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.

August 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban in Orakzai Agency has announced a unilateral ceasefire, saying they would not attack security forces in the month of Ramzan. Taliban's Orakzai spokesperson spoke to journalists over the phone and said the decision to halt the offensive was taken by the Taliban leadership.

April 26th, 2009 COLOMBO - The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sunday announced a unilateral ceasefire in Sri Lanka, a pro-rebel website reported. 'In the face of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and in response to the calls made by the UN, EU, the governments of the US, India and others, the LTTE has announced a unilateral ceasefire,' TamilNet reported.

March 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Islamist militants Sunday kidnapped 11 tribal policemen following an attack on a checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, an official said. The gunmen forced the Khasadar policemen to surrender all weapons after laying siege to the Shin Qamar post in Khyber tribal district, a hub of militant activity.

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 - 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 23rd, 2009 MINGORA - Suspected Taliban militants Sunday abducted a top government administrator and six guards in Pakistan's Swat Valley, officials said. District administrator Khushal Khan was going in his car to Mingora, the main town of Swat, when he was abducted by the suspected militants, The News reported.

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

January 17th, 2009 JERUSALEM - The Israeli military Sunday said it launched an airstrike to hit back at Gaza militants' rocket attacks earlier Sunday after the Jewish state announced a unilateral truce late Saturday night. A spokesman from the military said that Israeli aircraft hit the launchers in the Gaza Strip that had fired rockets into Israel.

January 17th, 2009 BEIRUT - A Hamas representative in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, said Saturday if there is no Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and no lifting of siege there will be no ceasefire. Hamdan was speaking shortly before the Israeli security cabinet announced a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza.

January 17th, 2009 JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Saturday evening declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in a press conference here.

January 17th, 2009 GAZA - Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas vowed to continue fighting after Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip Saturday evening. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Saturday evening declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, beginning from 2 a.m.

January 17th, 2009 TEHRAN - A senior official at Iran's presidential office Sunday said that the unilateral ceasefire announced by Israel in Gaza was an admission of defeat, IRNA reported. Ali-Reza Zaker Isfahani, chairman of the Strategic Studies, said Israel's unilateral ceasefire indicated its absolute defeat.

January 17th, 2009 TEL AVIV/GAZA - Israeli troops came under fire by a group of Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip Sunday, only hours after the beginning of a unilateral ceasefire declared by Israel, an Israeli army spokeswoman said. The troops informed Israeli armoured units and air force which then shot at and hit the Palestinians, said the spokeswoman.