The Taliban declared a cease-fire against Afghan forces days after Afghanistan's government called for a break in fighting.
The Taliban said Saturday it would stop military operations for three days for the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan. The government cease-fire was ordered to last just over a week and end on the same day.
This is the first announcement of its kind from the Taliban since the government it controlled was toppled by the U.S. in 2001. But the truce did not extend to foreign combatants, and the group said it would still defend itself if attacked.
The move was likely a face-saving measure by the insurgency. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has offered to negotiate with the Taliban and even recognize it as a political party.
The truce comes after a suspected ISIS attack on religious leaders in Kabul. Just before the attack, those religious leaders declared the ongoing war illegal and suicide attacks a sin.
