A reduction of violence deal signed by the US and Taliban negotiators went into effect on Friday, and is a final week before the peace deal is properly signed upon, ending 19 years of war in Afghanistan.
The Taliban is understandably interested in seeing that deal remain intact, and has ordered their fighters to adopt a self-defense mode, and stop any attempts to engage in offensive operations across the country.
The statement from Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid also tells Taliban fighters that they must strictly avoid going into enemy territory. Clearly they don’t want to risk kicking off any fights to risk the deal.
That’s not entirely impossible to imagine. The US has withdrawn from Taliban talks before for incidents that were ultimately fairly minor, and if the Trump Administration changes its mind, it wouldn’t be too hard to provoke an exchange as an excuse to back out.
The week allows the US to move forces to more strategic positions.
It’s doubtful the truce will last and the US will likely provoke a resumption of hostilities.
The Taliban will probably uses the truce for strategic advantage.
Probably just a U.S. ploy to break up the Taliban spring offensive.