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The offer was made by an Afghan government negotiator when Pakistan confirmed the insurgents controlled a major border crossing.
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“This is a huge request,” said Nader Nadery, a key member of the Afghan government team involved in peace talks with the Taliban. He added that the rebel group is also demanding the removal of the names of their leaders from the UN blacklist.
It was not immediately clear how the government would react to the ceasefire offer, but it came as the United States accelerated the pace of a troop withdrawal that is due to be completed by August 31.
A spokesman for the Taliban, whose leaders are spread across the region, said he was only aware of the suggestion of a ceasefire over the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday.
Local Afghan leaders and the Taliban agreed to a ceasefire in the western province of Badghis. This was confirmed by the local governor to Mr AFP Thursday.
“The truce between Afghan security forces and the Taliban started at around 10am today. The truce was brokered by tribal elders,” Badghis Governor Hesamuddin Shams told AFP, adding that the ceasefire has no specific time frame.
The revelations by Nadery came as Pakistani security forces used tear gas on Thursday to disperse hundreds of people trying to force their way across the border from Chaman to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan.
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