The Taliban confirmed on Wednesday the temporary suspension of their military operations against Pakistan, following Islamabad's announcement of a ceasefire, though they warned they would 'bravely' defend their citizens against any new aggression. 'The Islamic Emirate thanks the mediating countries for their goodwill, but states that it considers national security, territorial integrity, and the protection of the lives of Afghans its national and religious duty, and will respond bravely to any aggression in case of a threat,' stated Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement. The pause in the operation, named 'Red-ul-Zulm,' came at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, as confirmed by both sides, and will last at least until early next Tuesday, the Pakistani government reported. 'The security and defense forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (...) announce a temporary pause in defensive operations,' the Taliban regime's statement read. The temporary ceasefire comes at a critical time for the country, still reeling from the bombing of a rehabilitation center in Kabul that, according to Taliban sources, left more than 400 dead and a wave of condemnations from the UN and the European Union. On Wednesday, the Afghan capital buried the victims of the bombing of the Omid Hospital, one of the country's largest drug rehabilitation clinics, while families of the missing face despair. Despite the five-day ceasefire for the end of Ramadan, the UN warns that the escalation has already displaced thousands in border areas and urges an independent investigation into what happened.
