FAIZABAD - A number of women and girls in northern of Badakhshan province on Thursday welcomed the Reduction in Violence (RiV) week and asked the warring parties to agree on a lasting peace and end to the war.
The RiV week between the Taliban, US and Afghan government started on February 22 after over a year of negotiations between the Taliban and US.
A peace deal is expected to be signed between the US and the Taliban at the end of the ongoing seven-day RiV period on February 29 and after that intra-Afghan peace talks will begin.
Dozens of women, girls, and members of civil society in Badakhshan marched on Thursday and welcomed the weeklong violence reduction and called for nationwide and permanent peace.
Asifa Karimi, a member of the United Women's Association, told Pajhwok Afghan News that all Afghans especially women welcomed the violence reduction. “This week people will live in a peaceful environment.”
"We do not want violence, we want permanent peace; after five peaceful days, we do not expect more violence, we want the armed opposition to come and join the peace process and stop the war so we do not see more bloodshed in our country,” she added.
Nazifa Mursal Wajahat, a member of the United Women's Association and deputy head of the Peace Corps, also praised the reduction in violence and said the parties involved showed they wanted peace. (Pajhwok)