HERAT, Afghanistan, Aug 18 (AFP) - A US-brokered ceasefire between warring factions in west Afghanistan was holding Wednesday, the US military said, after four days of fierce battles around the city of Herat just weeks ahead of historic presidential elections.
The United States stepped in Tuesday to quell the fighting after warlord Amanullah Khan captured a district south of Herat, sparking fears of an advance on the region's richest city controlled by military strongman Ismael Khan.
"The ceasefire in the south of Herat Province, in effect since 4:00 pm (1130 GMT) local time (Tuesday), is still holding," the US military said in an emailed statement.
Troops from the new US-trained Afghan National Army as well as forces of the US-led military coalition have placed themselves between the forces of Amanullah and Ismael Khan, Amanullah's spokesman Karim Afghan told AFP.
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad announced the ceasefire at a press conference in Kabul Tuesday, saying Washington had worked with Kabul, "to bring about an immediate end to the fighting, to disengage the combatant forces some 20 or 30 kilometers away from each other."
"We saw what we could do to diffuse (the fighting), to end it as quickly as possible because there is the fear that the conflict could acquire ethnic dimensions," Khalilzad told reporters.
"I have indicated to Amanullah that any advance towards Herat to threaten the city is unacceptable," the envoy added.
Officials in Herat and Kabul said American forces had launched airstrikes to deter Amanullah's troops but the US-led coalition in Kabul denied waging any attacks.
Fighting broke out early Saturday in Shindand district 125 kilometers (75 miles) south of Herat city near Farah province.
By early Tuesday, ethnic Pashtun commander Amanullah's forces had advanced northwards towards the city, breaking through Ismael Khan's frontlines at Adraskan, 85 kilometers (50 miles) south of Herat, before US forces stepped in to mediate the truce.
Amanullah said his men came within sight of Herat but pulled back after Afghan troops from Kabul and US forces told them to keep a distance of 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Ismael Khan's troops.
"Our troops conquered all areas from Shindand to within 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Herat city," the ethnic Pashtun warlord told AFP by satellite phone.
"Before we got control of the city, a central government delegation along with ANA (Afghan National Army) and coalition representatives arrived in the afternoon and asked our forces and Ismael Khan's to stay at least 40 kilometers apart."
Khan's forces remained in Shindand district early Wednesday but had surrendered Adraskan district to Afghan army and US-led troops.
Ismael Khan, an ethnic Tajik hero of anti-Soviet wars who is now governor of Herat province, had been handing out guns to civilians at intelligence and police headquarters as Amanullah's forces advanced Tuesday, an AFP correspondent witnessed.
Herat city was quiet Wednesday with most shops open, but significant numbers of armed militiamen were still posted at major intersections.
Residents said they were worried that the large numbers of young men who had picked up weapons from police headquarters and intelligence headquarters in the city Tuesday would pose a threat to security in coming days.
"A lot of the people who were given guns yesterday were too young because there are not enough older people to give them to, so this is a threat to our security," said 25-year-old shopkeeper Ghulam Farook.
The latest offensive caps a string of factional clashes between rival warlords battling for control of the western provinces of Herat, Farah, Badghis and Ghor in recent months.
The fresh clashes highlight Afghanistan's fragile security situation as it prepares for its historic presidential elections on October 9.