Nangarharis urge Taliban to accept government dialogue offer

Monitoring Desk

JALALABAD: A number of youth, civil society activists and elders of eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday asked the Taliban to accept the Afghan government latest peace offer.

They told a press conference in Jalalabad City the rebels should join intra-Afghan dialogue. They supported President Ashraf Ghani recent remarks as a decisive step toward reaching peace.

The speakers included Mangal Sherzad, a teacher at the Nangarhar University, who said war wasn’t the way to reach goals and Taliban should pursue their political aims thought peace talks.

He said the unity government’s new policy about intra-Afghan dialogue was a great chance for the Taliban that they shouldn’t miss it.

Matitullah Ahmadzai, provincial youth affairs head, stressed youths’ role in peace process and said they were ready to take the peace message to Taliban’s bunkers.

He urged the Taliban to embrace the government offer and sit at the negotiating table.

The government has announced at a recent regional conference Kabul Process recognizing the Taliban and releasing their prisoners if they agreed to intra-Afghan dialogue.