GARDEZ/ ASADABAD (SW) – Scores of Paktia and Kunar residnets on Sunday staged demonstrations in support of the security forces and calling for immediate ceasefire in the country
A large number of women also joined the gathering in Asadabad, the provincial capital of Kunar, on Sunday morning to condemn the recent spate of violence and the delay in peace talks while calling for a permanent and immediate ceasefire.
Demonstrators, referring to the deadly truck bombing in Logar in which more than 30 people were killed and over 60 injured, said that the attacks in which civilians get killed could not be justified in any way.
In addition to youth, tribal elders and religious scholars, and people with disabilities also took part in the protest. The demonstrators, who chanted slogans calling for an immediate end to the ongoing massacre, and a permanent ceasefire, demanded that all sides in the conflict are ingoing the demands of the people. They called on all sides to start peace talks and establish a permanent ceasefire in the country.
The demonstrators said many respected religious scholars from around the world have dubbed the ongoing war in Afghanistan as illegitimate therefore the Taliban and other armed groups should come with a message of peace and put an end to the ongoing crisis.
In Paktia’s capital Gardez, people gathered to stage protest against the ongoing war in the country and called on the parties involved, if the war continued, the people will revolt against it.
A number of Paktia tribal elders, women, youth and civil society activists called on the Taliban and the government to seize the opportunity for peace. Referring to the recent truck bomb attack in Logar, they said the Taliban should refrain from large and small attacks and bombings in the cities and adhere to the ceasefire.
Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai and Syed Jal Asif, who attended the gathering, said Afghans are tired of fighting and said that if the Taliban thought they would gain power through war, it was impossible and the ongoing war in the country would continue. They added that running away from the negotiation table is not the solution and that the Taliban should attend peace conference in Turkey.
This comes as the Taliban have recently stepped up their attacks, especially after the announcement of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
Hamdullah Mohib, the president’s national security adviser, also confirmed on Saturday that the group had escalated violence since the announcement of the exit date, but said that Afghan forces were also fully prepared to fight it and that the group would never be allowed to grab power through force.
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