Fifteen foreign missions call Taliban to lay down arms and to agree on ceasefire

"This Eid al-Adha, the Taliban should lay down their weapons for good and show the world their commitment to the peace process," the 15 missions and the NATO representative said on Monday in a joint statement.

Over recent Eid holidays, the Taliban had announced short ceasefires, saying they wanted to let Afghans spend them in peace, and all these ceasefires turned out short-lived as the group resumed their offensive every time.

In a meeting held recently in Doha, the warring Afghan parties made no mention of the ceasefire in their joint statement. However, it was reported that the Afghan government had sought a ceasefire and a framework for peace.

The Monday statement by foreign missions also condemned rights violations, such as efforts to shut schools and media outlets in areas recently captured by the Taliban. The group though denied such actions earlier.

In the last week, the Taliban’s pace of advancement has slowdown significantly--mostly due to resistance and tough fight from the Afghan national security. Furthermore, the government forces, with the help of local uprising forces, recaptured at least eight districts. The militant group has also suffered heavy casualties.