NATO to halt ops for Afghan 'day of peace'

(CNN) -- Sunday could be a day of peace in Afghanistan if NATO forces, Afghan troops and the Taliban stick to their pledges not to conduct offensive operations during the United Nation's International Day of Peace.

"Our forces will not be engaged in any offensive operations, but they will, of course, keep the rights to defend themselves," said Borkur Gunnarson, spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

United Nations officials appealed to all combatants in Afghanistan to lay down their arms for the day, a request that was first taken up by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

ISAF's commander, Gen. David McKiernan, followed with an order to his troops to stand down on offensive operations against insurgents for the day.

"This has been agreed by the Government of Afghanistan and ISAF as a show of their mutual intent to bring peace to Afghanistan and an end to the insurgency that threatens to undermine the future peace and prosperity of the Afghan nation," an ISAF statement said.

Gunnarson said ISAF has heard that the Taliban has also pledged to cease offensive operations, "but that remains to be seen."

He said there were no special activities planned to replace the offensive operations, but that ISAF troops would not be "playing football with the Taliban."

"The insurgents must be in no doubt that ISAF will defend itself and the people of Afghanistan from offensive action by the enemies of Afghanistan," ISAF said.

ISAF is "engaged in a peace mission 365 days a year," Gunnarson said.

Troops assigned to coalitions led by the U.S. and NATO have been fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan for almost seven years following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States.

There has been no word yet on if troops in the U.S.-led coalition will also refrain from offensive operations Sunday.

The U.N. General Assembly established the Day of Peace in 1981 as a day of "global ceasefire and non-violence."

All About Afghanistan • U.S. Department of Defense