The Afghan Taliban attacked security forces in at least nine provinces Monday, making good on a threat to resume fighting, even as the government extended by 10 days a unilateral cease-fire.

“The cease-fire was violated in some parts of the country, during which 12 of our soldiers were martyred by Taliban,” Gen. Mohammad Radmanish, spokesperson for the Afghan defense minister, told VOA. “At least 30 Taliban insurgents were either killed or wounded during the skirmishes,” he said.

The Taliban had warned in a statement that the initial three-day cease-fire would end Sunday.

 “The three days of cease-fire made it clear that the Afghan people are supporting the armistice and the peace process that is also backed internationally … We are looking forward to Taliban's responding to it positively and ending the violence,” Shah Hussain Murtazawi, spokesperson for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, told VOA.

A NATO-led Resolute Support statement quoted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as saying, “As President Ghani emphasized in his statement to the Afghan people, peace talks by necessity would include a discussion of the role of international actors and forces. The United States is prepared to support, facilitate and participate in these discussions.”

A period of 10 days does seem considerable, said Afghanistan expert Walter Dorn, a professor at Royal Military College of Canada & Canadian Forces College.

“Cease-fires will help to fracture the moderate and extremist elements within the Taliban.” Dorn told VOA. “They are worth pursuing. The government gains the ethical advantage and shows some flexibility, while the hard-liners in the Taliban show that they cannot pursue the more challenging task of making peace.”

“Some Taliban fighters abused the cease-fire, but the overall Taliban movement might shift toward peace,” Dorn added.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”