The situation in Afghanistan – UN Security Council Briefing

Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNMA) on the situation in Afghanistan.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, told the Security Council today (26 Jun) that “an extraordinary series of events recently took place in the country, which led to a three-day ceasefire honoured by both sides “for the first time in the past 17 years of conflict.”

Yamamoto explained that on 7 June Afghan President Ashraf Ghani “declared a unilateral ceasefire for the period of 12-19 June to commemorate the Eid festivities which conclude the month of Ramadan.” Two days later, he said, “the Taliban announced their own unilateral ceasefire covering 15-17 June.”

During these overlapping three days, both sides honoured their respective ceasefires.

President Ghani, Yamamoto continued, “then proposed to extend its ceasefire—a proposal endorsed by UNAMA and many members of the international community.”

The Taliban, he said, “unfortunately, recommitted themselves to battle,” a decision that “will only increase the suffering of civilians.”

Screenshot Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe