Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani (C) speaks during the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the presidential palace in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, June 4, 2019. Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday expressed his government readiness to observe ceasefire if the Taliban outfit does. "The government of Afghanistan is always ready to observe ceasefire but the Taliban group isn't," President Ghani said in his message on Eid al-Fitr, the second largest annual religious festival that marks the end of Ramadan. (Xinhua)

KABUL, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday expressed his government readiness to observe ceasefire if the Taliban outfit does.

"The government of Afghanistan is always ready to observe ceasefire but the Taliban group isn't," President Ghani said in his message on Eid al-Fitr, the second largest annual religious festival that marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslims holy fasting month ended on Tuesday.

Afghan president also said that the people of Afghanistan were hopeful that the Taliban group may observe ceasefire at least on the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, but the militant group has rejected.

President Ghani in his message also praised his security forces bravery in the fight on militants, saying the security forces were able to foil the anti-government insurgents' vicious plans to destabilize the security and peace process.

The Taliban outfit leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada who has repeatedly rejected the government offers for talks, in his message on the eve of Eid al-Fitr, once again rejected the offer for talks with Afghan government and vowed to continue the war till the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

President Ghani in his message also wished happy Eid al-Fitr festival for every compatriot across the militancy-plagued Afghanistan.