KABUL: Hundreds of Afghan peace marchers arrived exhausted within the capital, Kabul, on Monday after spending the fasting month of Ramadan crossing the sun-baked, war-torn nation, a lot of it below Taliban regulate.
The marchers, all men, including lecturers, students and struggle sufferers on crutches and one in a wheelchair, have been welcomed along the way via village girls carrying the holy Koran, men making a song and dancing or providing bread and yoghurt, some in tears.
"I saw and learnt things that I had never thought of before," stated Iqbal Khayber, 27, a clinical student from Helmand.
"We met people in areas controlled by the Taliban and in areas under government control - everyone is really tired of war."
The march was brought about via a automotive bomb in Helmand on March 23 that killed no less than 14 people and wounded dozens. No workforce claimed accountability.
Khayber stated the marchers, various in quantity from day after day, would take main roads and some instances transform villages, choosing dangerous spaces on function to try to confront people's fear.
"We saw people suffering huge pain from the war ... Honestly, my conscience doesn't let me calm down. It hurts me and I ask myself: why we did not start working for peace earlier?"
Before Ramadan, the marchers have been walking 30 to 35 km (18 to 20 miles) a day, however all over the fasting month, when they might now not take food or water all over sunlight hours, they slowed to 20 to 25 km per day.
In one area of Ghazni province, they have been told via the Taliban now not to go into an area because it was too dangerous.
"We met Taliban warring parties and after an creation, they told us we wouldn't have come right here because the area is planted with bombs and they had planned an attack.
"After minutes of dialogue with them, they seemed tired of it all, and the struggle. They directed us again to the safest area."
BLISTERED FEET, TEARS
In Ghazni on Sunday, the Taliban took six squaddies hostage, the governor's place of work stated on Monday. The Taliban denied the accusation and stated the six had defected.
Mohammad Yasin Omid, 24, a instructor from Zabul province, stated he joined the march on its 21st day.
"The workforce had already walked for 15 days. When I saw their bleeding and blistered ft, I may now not regulate my tears so I decided to enroll in them."
The Taliban are preventing to expel overseas forces, defeat the U.S.-backed govt and repair sharia, or Islamic regulation, after their ouster via US-led forces in 2001.
But Afghanistan has been at struggle for 4 decades, ever because the Soviet invasion in 1979.
Both the federal government and the militants declared temporary ceasefires for the end-of-Ramadan Eid al-Fitr vacation, resulting in hugs and selfies between the 2 sides as militants emerged from their hideouts to go into towns and cities.
The Taliban ceasefire ended on Sunday. The govt extended its ceasefire with the Taliban, which have been due to finish on Wednesday, June 20, via 10 days.
The anti-war marchers stated they may not prevent in Kabul.
"We gained fortify from the people in Kabul as we had expected," stated marcher Badshah Khan.
"Now we can have sit-ins in tents and continue walking to different provinces to get more fortify."
The marchers, all men, including lecturers, students and struggle sufferers on crutches and one in a wheelchair, have been welcomed along the way via village girls carrying the holy Koran, men making a song and dancing or providing bread and yoghurt, some in tears.
"I saw and learnt things that I had never thought of before," stated Iqbal Khayber, 27, a clinical student from Helmand.
"We met people in areas controlled by the Taliban and in areas under government control - everyone is really tired of war."
The march was brought about via a automotive bomb in Helmand on March 23 that killed no less than 14 people and wounded dozens. No workforce claimed accountability.
Khayber stated the marchers, various in quantity from day after day, would take main roads and some instances transform villages, choosing dangerous spaces on function to try to confront people's fear.
"We saw people suffering huge pain from the war ... Honestly, my conscience doesn't let me calm down. It hurts me and I ask myself: why we did not start working for peace earlier?"
Before Ramadan, the marchers have been walking 30 to 35 km (18 to 20 miles) a day, however all over the fasting month, when they might now not take food or water all over sunlight hours, they slowed to 20 to 25 km per day.
In one area of Ghazni province, they have been told via the Taliban now not to go into an area because it was too dangerous.
"We met Taliban warring parties and after an creation, they told us we wouldn't have come right here because the area is planted with bombs and they had planned an attack.
"After minutes of dialogue with them, they seemed tired of it all, and the struggle. They directed us again to the safest area."
BLISTERED FEET, TEARS
In Ghazni on Sunday, the Taliban took six squaddies hostage, the governor's place of work stated on Monday. The Taliban denied the accusation and stated the six had defected.
Mohammad Yasin Omid, 24, a instructor from Zabul province, stated he joined the march on its 21st day.
"The workforce had already walked for 15 days. When I saw their bleeding and blistered ft, I may now not regulate my tears so I decided to enroll in them."
The Taliban are preventing to expel overseas forces, defeat the U.S.-backed govt and repair sharia, or Islamic regulation, after their ouster via US-led forces in 2001.
But Afghanistan has been at struggle for 4 decades, ever because the Soviet invasion in 1979.
Both the federal government and the militants declared temporary ceasefires for the end-of-Ramadan Eid al-Fitr vacation, resulting in hugs and selfies between the 2 sides as militants emerged from their hideouts to go into towns and cities.
The Taliban ceasefire ended on Sunday. The govt extended its ceasefire with the Taliban, which have been due to finish on Wednesday, June 20, via 10 days.
The anti-war marchers stated they may not prevent in Kabul.
"We gained fortify from the people in Kabul as we had expected," stated marcher Badshah Khan.
"Now we can have sit-ins in tents and continue walking to different provinces to get more fortify."
Afghans 'tired of war', say exhausted peace marchers in Kabul
![Afghans 'tired of war', say exhausted peace marchers in Kabul]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 18, 2018
Rating:
