Afghans take to streets to mark start of week-long partial truce

A week-long, partial truce came into effect across Afghanistan on Saturday, with jubilant civilians celebrating in the streets to mark a potentially historic turning point in the war, even as isolated attacks threatened to undermine the process. The Taliban, US and Afghan forces have all agreed to a so-called "reduction in violence" which, if it holds, will be only the second lull in fighting since 2001. "It is the first morning that I go out without the fear of being killed by a bomb or suicide bomber. I hope it continues forever," Kabul taxi driver Habib Ullah said, while in other parts of the country people danced in the streets. However in Balkh province in the north, Taliban...