Eid Truce Amid Bloodshed: Afghanistan Marks Festival as Pakistan Ceasefire Takes Hold After Kabul Strike | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Afghanistan on Wednesday announced the sighting of the Shawwal crescent, declaring Thursday as Eid al-Fitr, even as Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary ceasefire during the festival following one of the deadliest escalations in their recent conflict, according to reports by Anadolu Agency and AFP.

Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Supreme Court of Afghanistan had confirmed Eid after verified moon sightings in provinces including Farah, Helmand and Ghor. Authorities also announced the release of 4,596 prisoners and sentence reductions for 4,407 others as part of Eid clemency measures, Tolo News reported, cited by Anadolu Agency.

In a notable divergence from much of the Muslim world, Afghanistan could be among the very few countries observing Eid on Thursday this year. Most Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Turkiye, have announced Eid on Friday, March 20, after the crescent moon was not sighted on Wednesday evening, extending Ramazan to 30 days. Meanwhile, countries in South Asia such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are expected to celebrate Eid on Saturday, March 21, based on local moon-sighting practices.

The Eid announcement in Kabul coincided with a fragile diplomatic pause. Islamabad and Kabul, in separate statements, declared a halt in hostilities from March 19 to March 23, following mediation requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the pause was offered “in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms,” while warning that operations would resume “with renewed intensity” in case of any cross-border attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the suspension of what Kabul termed “defensive operations,” but maintained that responding to any aggression remained “a national and religious obligation.”

The truce follows a devastating airstrike in Kabul earlier this week. Afghan authorities said around 400 people were killed and more than 200 injured when Pakistani jets struck what Kabul described as a drug rehabilitation centre on the night of March 16, on the eve of Shab-e-Qadr, the most revered night in the Muslim calendar. Pakistan rejected the claim, asserting the site was a militant weapons depot.

According to AFP, mass funerals were held on Wednesday, with Afghan Red Crescent volunteers carrying coffins to a hillside graveyard. Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani called the victims “innocent” and warned of retaliation, stating: “We will take revenge… You will see the consequences of your crimes,” while also indicating that Kabul preferred resolving the conflict through diplomacy.

Humanitarian workers described the aftermath as severe. Jacopo Caridi of the Norwegian Refugee Council said “hundreds” were killed and wounded, describing the scene as “shocking” and recovery efforts as extremely difficult due to debris and scattered remains.

Independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult, with conflicting accounts and limited access to affected areas.

The United Nations had already warned that at least 76 Afghan civilians had been killed since late February, with more than 115,000 displaced due to ongoing clashes. Despite growing international concern, mediation efforts have largely stalled, though China and Russia have indicated readiness to facilitate talks if both sides agree.

Cross-border tensions have intensified in recent weeks, with Pakistan accusing Afghan Taliban authorities of harbouring militants responsible for attacks inside its territory, an allegation Kabul denies.

For now, the Eid ceasefire offers a brief pause in hostilities, though officials on both sides have made clear it remains conditional and could collapse if violence resumes.