<p>JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Civilian Protection Working Group (CPWG) members on Tuesday said the continuation of war could derail the ongoing peace talks, urging truce for a successful outcome.</p>
<p>The group members held a conference in this capital city of eastern Nangarhar province and the participants welcomed the ongoing direct talks between the Afghan government and the <a href="/en/taliban" class="glossify-link">Taliban</a> in Qatar.</p>
<p>They termed the long-awaited negotiations as crucial for preventing the killing of civilians across the country.</p>
<p>Burhanuddin Seerat, a member of CPWG, told the gathering that the continuation of war could threaten the intra-Afghan talks and called on the Afghan government and Taliban to declare ceasefire before discussing other issues.</p>
<p>He said each day the war claimed hundreds of lives of civilians in the country, thus the warning parties should focus on declaration of truce first in their talks in Qatar.</p>
<p>Dr. Worekhmina Stanekzai, another member of the group, also stressed the need for declaration of ceasefire first in order the negotiations yield positive result.</p>
<p>She also demanded social justice and protection of <a href="/en/women" class="glossify-link">women</a>’s rights in a possible peace deal.</p>
<p>She said, “I have personally spoken to the Afghan peace negotiating team that we don’t want a peace that violates human rights and brings the Taliban regime back.”</p>
<p>pk/ma</p>
