A group of religious scholars representing the Afghanistan Ulema Council at a meeting on Saturday called the ongoing war illegitimate, asking the warring parties to immediately end the violence that has brought destruction and damage to the country.

The two sides of the war should expedite their efforts for peace, the acting head of the council, Mawlawi Sardar Zadran, said at the event, emphasizing the importance of religious scholars’ support to the security and defense forces.

“The ulema council calls for an urgent end to violence by the warring parties because the ongoing war is, by all means, illegitimate,” he said.

Zadran said that Afghan religious scholars are making efforts to help the peace process but the process needs cooperation from the warring parties.

“War means destruction and damage. We call for the expedition of peace efforts and efforts to stop the violence. Have mercy on your people, don’t kill your brothers, don’t destroy your homes, don’t put the country into crisis,” Zadran reiterated.

Meanwhile, a video released by the Taliban shows Amir Khan Mutaqi, a member of Taliban leadership, shows him sitting among some residents of Kijran district in Daikundi province where he says that ending the decades of war is the main goal for the Taliban.

“We want a solution to the problem that exists for the last 43 years. We want the country freed from occupation, and a central, Islamic and Afghan-inclusive system is established. We are here with this goal,” Mutaqi said.

This comes amidst an unprecedented increase in violence in Afghanistan. Sources have said that 13 districts have fallen to the Taliban in the last 24 hours.