Nangarhar women call for peace, ceasefire

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Dozens of female civil society activists and women in eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday called on the Taliban to declare ceasefire and make peace in the country.

Holding a rally, they voiced support for the Afghan national security and defense forces and called on all parties to the conflict to take care of the lives of civilians.

They demonstrated in the front of the provincial council in Jalalabad, led by the Nangarhar network of powerful women.

The leader of the network, Muqaddas Salarzai, said their aim was to call for an end to the Afghan war and demand ceasefire, as well as calling on the Taliban to make peace with the government.

She added that another purpose of the demonstration was to support the Afghan security and defense forces whose soldiers were sacrificing their lives for the country.

Another woman, Sana Noori, called on the Taliban to make peace and protect the lives of Afghan civilians during the fighting.

She said fighting had intensified in many provinces and districts despite ongoing peace talks. She said it was meaningless to say that both the sides were holding talks when attacks were intensified and women and children were being killed and their schools and crops burnt.

Some of the rally participants were women whose families had been taken away by the conflict and they called for a ceasefire with the Taliban.

Suhaila, a widow, said the government and the Taliban should stop fighting because fighting could only kill young people and destroy the country.

bk/ma

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