Taliban, Afghan Government Enter Eid al-Fitr Cease-fire

The Taliban and the government of Afghanistan will take a three-day breather from their decadeslong war as they enter a cease-fire to allow for celebrations of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The cease-fire, which started on Thursday, comes amid heaving fighting throughout the country by both sides and as the United States and its allies are removing their troops and civilian personnel from the country. It is only the fourth break from fighting throughout the 20-year conflict. The cease-fire is also an opportunity for the Taliban to show they have control over even their most radical factions, according to Al Jazeera. In response to the cease-fire, the hashtag #AfghansWantPermanentCeasefire was trending in recent days in Afghanistan on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.