The Afghan president has for the first time declared an unconditional ceasefire against the Taliban as he tries to galvanise a stuttering peace process.

Ashraf Ghani said his forces would cease operations against the militants for seven days from the middle of next week for Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan.

Dr Ghani said the truce would offer the militant movement ousted in the wake of the 9/11 attacks a chance to reflect on whether its bloody insurgency was only alienating the public.

A spokesman for the Taliban reached by The Telegraph on Thursday said the movement's leaders were mulling Mr Ghani's declaration and would respond later.

The Afghan government backed at times by Western diplomacy and intelligence agencies has been attempting to build a peace process to end the conflict for at least a decade, with little success.