Political settlement only way to end war: MoFA

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) says it believes that an end to the war in the country is possible only through a political settlement.

Commenting on a Taliban delegation’s visit to Turkmenistan, MoFA said in a statement it had learnt through media reports about the movement’s visit to the neighbouring country.

The Taliban delegation was traveling to regional countries at a time when the group’s brutal attacks had killed more than 3,500 people in recent months, the ministry said.

More than 200,000 people had been displaced and economic activities disrupted in tens of districts, the statement added.

Commending efforts to strengthen the Afghan peace process, MoFA believed that bringing an end to the war was possible only through a political settlement.

Appreciating support from regional and international partners for the Afghan peace process, it hoped such efforts would made in consultation with the Afghan government.

It also called for strengthening regional and international consensus on a permanent ceasefire. The Taliban were urged to cut ties to regional terrorist groups and end the war.

sa/mud