Afghans Optimistic as Reduction in Violence Holds for Sixth Day

Incidents reported, but casualties have dropped significantly

Despite continued reports out of the Afghan government of incidents of violence, Afghan civilians are saying in no uncertain terms that the Reduction of Violence is holding, and that casualties have plainly dropped significantly.

This is the sixth day of a seven-day deal, and it looks increasingly probable that it will survive until Saturday, when it is to be replaced by a formal peace treaty between the US and the Taliban.

Violations are all fairly minor, a few killed or wounded, and the Taliban have denied anything to do with them. Taliban officials even suggested that Afghan intelligence agencies were inventing things to raise uncertainty.

Which isn’t entirely out of the question. Afghanistan’s government has been on the outside looking in at a lot of these talks, and has at times expressed discomfort with the idea of a peace process. Either way, it’s happening, and the Afghan public seems very happy with it.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.