The Pakistani Taliban has announced a 3-day ceasefire ahead of the Eid ceasefire

A major outlawed Pakistani militant group behind a string of gun and bomb attacks has announced a three-day ceasefire ahead of Eid al-Fitr, hours after Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a temporary halt to escalating fighting.

Islamabad — A major outlawed Pakistani militant group behind a string of gun and bomb attacks announced a three-day ceasefire early Thursday ahead of a key Muslim holiday, hours after Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a temporary lull in escalating fighting. No exchanges of fire were reported, marking the first lull since clashes erupted in late February.

Mohammad Khurasani, a spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, said the ceasefire was intended to allow people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The TTP, which is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, has increased attacks inside Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. The TTP is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban government of harboring thousands of TTP leaders and members who carry out cross-border attacks. Kabul denies the allegation.

The group said the ceasefire would come into effect on the first day of Eid, which is expected to begin on Friday, subject to moon sighting in Pakistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan announced on Wednesday that they planned a temporary lull in fighting until Monday night.

Both sides said the ceasefire was at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. The three countries have been mediating efforts to end the fighting since cross-border fighting resumed in February and previously helped broker a ceasefire in October.

The announcements followed a mass funeral for victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul earlier in the week. Afghan Taliban officials said 408 people were killed and 265 wounded in the attack, although the toll could not be independently verified.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Wednesday that the military had not targeted any hospitals and that the attacks in Kabul targeted an ammunition depot. Tarar announced a temporary lull in the fighting with Kabul.