Kabul, July 27 (DPA) Taliban militants in a western Afghan province have struck a ceasefire with the government and agreed not to disrupt the presidential election Aug 20, a presidential spokesman said Monday.

The truce was struck Saturday with local Taliban commanders in the Bala Murghab district of Badghis province through mediation by local elders, said Siamak Herawi, a spokesman for Afghan President Hamdi Karzai.

'Under this agreement, the Taliban commanders agreed to withdraw their forces from three areas in the district and hand over authority to the local elders,' Herawi said, adding that the government forces would not attack the militants as long as the truce held.

'The Taliban also agreed not to attack the election commission's work in the province and let the presidential candidates open their campaign offices,' he said.

'There is no deadline for the ceasefire,' Herawi said. 'We welcome it as long as it holds.'

The deal was the first move in a series of such efforts by the government to try to ensure security for election day, he said, adding, 'This is the first place. We have plans to reach such agreements with other anti-government elements in other parts of the country.