Nangarhar protestors ask govt, Taliban to stop their spring offensives

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The People’s Peace Movement (PPM) on Saturday held a protest in eastern Nangarhar province against the government’s ‘Khalid’ and Taliban ‘Al-Fatah’ spring offensives and called them dangerous messages for the Afghan people.

The government last month announced its military offensive “Khalid” followed by the Taliban’s spring offensive Al-Fatah on April 12.

They have urged both the warning parties to stop their operations and start peace negotiations and agree on a ceasefire.

A number of PPM members conducted a protest in Nangarhar province on Saturday and rallied from Mukhabirat square to Pashtunistan square in Jalalabad, the provincial capital.

They have slanged as “Stop Khalid, Al-Fatah offensives, stop killing of the civilian, we want peace and truce.”

Attaullah, an organizer of the protest, told Pajhwok Afghan News that civilians were giving the price of government’s ‘Khalid’ and the Taliban ‘Al-Fatah’ spring offensives.

He said also asked Taliban militants to arrange an intra-Afghan dialogue with Afghan government instead of moving to Qatar and Moscow conferences.

Marouf, another protestor, said there would be no development and progress in the country when the conflict was ongoing.

He said the Consultative Loya Jirga on peace should try to provide facilitate direct peace talks between the government and the Taliban.

At the end of the protest, the PPM members in their resolution letter demanded ceasefire and holding of an intra-Afghan dialogue. They condemned civilian losses in the war.

pk/mds