Religious Scholars Call for Immediate Ceasefire

Dozens of religious scholars at a gathering on Wednesday called on the warring parties in Afghanistan to halt fighting and agree to an immediate ceasefire.

Expressing concerns regarding increased violence in the country, the religious scholars demanded the Afghan government and the Taliban insurgent group to stop fighting.

“We are about to celebrate the Eid al Fitr. Considering the successful truce of last year, we are calling on the government and the Taliban group to announce a ceasefire during Eid days to pave the way for a permanent peace in the country,” said Mawlawi Din Mohammad, a religious scholar.

“Religious scholars must not be used symbolic, we want the end of this horror,” said Mawlawi Abdul Qadir Qanat, another religious scholar.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Ulama Council emphasizes that the Taliban should not misuse Islam and fight based on the order of foreigners.

“We want Taliban to break with the foreigners and build their country,” said Esmatullah Tawhidi, a member of Ulama Council.

“I’m asking the Taliban to stop killing our innocent people. Do not kill religious scholars,” said Naqibullah Mohammadi, a religious scholar.

This comes as a number of Afghan politicians and Taliban representatives are discussing peace and reconciliation in the country but the group said on Wednesday that the representatives of Afghan government will not attend today’s intra-Afghan dialogue in Moscow.