NEW YORK - The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the Taliban of a three-day partial  ceasefire during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. This follows the recent announcement by the Government of Afghanistan that it will begin a seven-day ceasefire during the upcoming holiday.

The Secretary-General strongly believes that there is no military solution to this conflict and that only a political settlement can bring an end to the suffering in Afghanistan.

The Secretary-General urges all parties concerned to seize this opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. The United Nations is committed to supporting the people and Government of Afghanistan in this important endeavor.