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Taliban say they’ve stopped bombing Afghan civilians
New York Times

KABUL — Taliban insurgents are refraining from attacking Afghan civilians for the first time in many years, according to Afghan officials and the insurgents themselves.

The change in tactics started after a Taliban cease-fire expired June 17 and came after a six-month period the United Nations said had been the deadliest yet for Afghan civilians.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in a phone interview from an undisclosed location that the insurgents had been ordered to stop suicide attacks in cities that might cause civilian casualties. “Since the cease-fire, we have not had any martyrdom attacks in Kabul,’’ he said, using the Taliban term for suicide bombings.

A deputy spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani noted the shift. “We can see a change in their ranks,’’ said Shah Hussain Murtazawi. “There are fewer suicide attacks in the cities now, but it is not the end of suicide attacks.’’

The Taliban moratorium has no effect on activities of the rival Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan. It has repeatedly carried out suicide bombings against nonmilitary targets, and it has continued to do so since the cease-fire ended.

And the moratorium on suicide bombings does not apply to other military operations by the Taliban.

The Afghan government had offered to extend the cease-fire, but the insurgents refuse to do so.