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| Blast hits gathering of Taliban & Afghan security forces during ceasefire – authorities | Blast hits gathering of Taliban & Afghan security forces during ceasefire – authorities |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An explosion has rocked a meeting of Taliban and Afghan security forces, which gathered during an unprecedented ceasefire for the Eid holiday, in the eastern city of Nangarhar, Reuters reported citing officials. | |
| Casualties are feared following the blast, Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor of Nangarhar, said. | |
| The timing of the bombing appears to be significant. On Saturday, Taliban members entered the Afghan capital, Kabul urging people to come forward and take selfies with them. The unusual move reportedly occurred elsewhere in the country, as photos and videos on social media showed Taliban fighters giving hugs to locals and Afghan forces across several provinces. | |
| Earlier in June, the Taliban made a surprising statement announcing the suspension of hostilities with the government forces for three days to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid. This is the first time that the Taliban has ever extended an offer of this kind to Kabul. | |
| The ceasefire came two months after the group announced its annual spring offensive, as they vowed to target the “American invaders.” Heavy clashes repeatedly broke out across a number of Afghan provinces, with casualties inflicted among Afghan soldiers and police officers. | |
| The militants attacked a number of cities across the country, seizing large quantities of weapons and equipment. | |
| DETAILS TO FOLLOW | DETAILS TO FOLLOW |