The cease-fire announced by the Afghan government and the Taliban is unprecedented, even though it is for a short time.

During the past 17 years, the Taliban rejected every offer of a cease-fire and peace talks by the Afghan government by arguing that fighting would continue until all US-led foreign forces withdrew from Afghanistan. Even now the Taliban cease-fire is limited to the Afghan forces as fighters have been instructed to continue attacks against foreign troops.

The cease-fire announcement has raised hopes for peace in a country that has suffered conflict for the past four decades. Many Afghans are hoping the cease-fire will be extended and could even lead to formal peace talks between the two sides.

The cease-fire announcement made the Afghans so happy that many took to the streets in Kabul and Jalalabad holding pro-peace banners to welcome the move. Reports said that some carried pictures of not only President Ashraf Ghani, but also the Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhunzada. The spontaneous reaction showed the yearning for peace among the war-weary, long-suffering Afghans.

The one-week cease-fire announced by Afghanistan’s national unity government came into effect on June 12. However, it won’t necessarily bring the fighting to a stop as the three-day Taliban cease-fire is due to start later on June 15 when Eid Al-Fitr is expected to be celebrated.

Both sides played their cards well while agreeing to the cease-fire. Ghani made the first move by responding positively to an appeal for a cease-fire by a large gathering of clerics that met in Kabul and urged both sides to stop fighting. His own offer on February 28 of a cease-fire, the release of Taliban prisoners, recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate political group and review of the constitution had been ignored by the Taliban leadership.

The clerics, who according to the Afghan government totaled more than 2,500 and came from all over Afghanistan, also declared the war being waged by the militants and the suicide bombings as haram (un-Islamic). This obviously went against the Taliban, who promptly termed the clerics’ meeting in Kabul and the earlier one in Indonesia attended by Afghan, Pakistani and Indonesian religious scholars part of "a foreign agenda" sponsored by the US to achieve its objectives.

The decree by the clerics attending the Kabul meeting put tremendous pressure on the Taliban as causing bloodshed during the holy month of Ramadan and at the time of the Eid festival went against Islamic teachings. Rejecting the clerics’ call for a cease-fire outright could have damaged the Taliban cause as the group is led by clerics and draws strength from religion. The Taliban spokesman issued a meaningful statement that a longer cease-fire could have been announced if the conditions were favorable and the Americans were sincere about restoring peace in Afghanistan. This could be interpreted as an indication by the Taliban that a cease-fire for a longer duration could be considered if its wish for direct peace talks with the US were granted. Taliban policy to-date has been not to hold talks with the Afghan government as it is powerless to make decisions, particularly concerning the presence of foreign forces in the country.

The spontaneous, happy reaction in the streets of Kabul showed the yearning for peace among the war-weary, long-suffering Afghans.

Rahimullah Yusufzai

Pakistan may also have played a role in the Taliban decision to observe a cease-fire because the US had engaged frequently with the Pakistan government, particularly the Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa,  and sought its support for the peace process in Afghanistan. An exchange of high-level visits by Afghan and Pakistani civil and military officials, the latest being General Bajwa’s trip to Kabul on June 11, was further evidence of efforts made between Kabul and Islamabad to jointly work for peace in Afghanistan.

There could be other reasons for the Taliban agreeing to the cease-fire. All Afghans under arms, including Taliban fighters, normally take a break during the Eid holidays. The cease-fire would enable the Taliban not only to win some goodwill, but also allow its fighters to take a much-needed break from long periods of fighting.

As Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid put it, Taliban fighters normally observe an unannounced cease-fire during Eid. Also, by refusing to observe a cease-fire with the US-led foreign forces, the Taliban cleverly conveyed the message that the main hurdle to peace in Afghanistan is the presence of foreigners. The Taliban tried to reinforce its argument that its fight is not against fellow Afghans by announcing the release of some Afghan security personnel.

As witnessed so far, the mere announcement of a cease-fire is no guarantee that the fighting will stop. Despite the start of the Afghan government’s cease-fire on June 12, the Taliban on the same day captured the Kohistan district in the northern Faryab province and killed its administrator Abdul Rahman Panah, and also made gains in Saripul province.

In fact, there has been a dramatic increase in attacks by the Taliban and also Daesh in the run-up to the cease-fire. This is obviously no way to show a real intention for pursuing peace by agreeing to stop fighting for a few days.

The Islamic State’s Khorasan chapter is already emerging as the spoiler because the focus of fighting would shift to it if the Taliban and the Afghan government stop fighting each other. There is a possibility of an increase in Daesh attacks during the days of the cease-fire in a bid to create mistrust between the Taliban and the Afghan government and also to send a message that there cannot be durable peace until its defeat.

• Rahimullah Yusufzai is senior political and security analyst of Pakistan. He was the first to interview Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar and twice interviewed Osama Bin Laden in 1998. Twitter: @rahimyusufzai1