Some 2,500 Afghan clerics gathered in Kabul on Sunday to call for ceasefire as violence rages in the country despite the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Taliban in Qatari capital Doha.
The clerics said that the conflict has no religious legitimacy and innocent people are bearing its brunt.
They said that Afghans are tired war and it is time for parties to the conflict to end hostilities and make peace.
The clerics called on parties to the conflict to advance national interests instead of their own.
“When we are brothers to each other, it is prohibited to spill Afghan people’s blood over power, personal interpretations and jurisprudence issues,” said cleric Abdul Salam Abid under a giant tent called Loya Jirga. “When we sit down for negotiations, we shouldn’t fight, we should talk, we should compromise.”
Cleric Ali Atayee said: “Let’s respect Islam, let’s reflect the real face of Islam, until when the world portray us as hated faces?”
According to the clerics, continuation of conflict only benefits those who seek to sabotage th peace process. They said that the opportunity for peace should not be missed.
They also said that they are ready to mediate between the parties to the peace talks which are in a stalemate.
