Residents in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman and Nuristan on Thursday night gathered in Jalalabad, the center of Nangarhar province, to celebrate the recent progress towards peace demonstrated by the reduction in violence period and the planned signing of the peace deal on Saturday. 

The celebrations come as the weeklong reduction in violence plan comes to an end on Friday night, amid hopes that similar terms will remain in effect afterwards.

Afghan citizens in the east said that the current opportunity for peace must not go to waste. They urged all warring sides to work together for peace.

“We call on the Afghan government, the United States and the Taliban to end this war--the bloodshed must come to an end now,” said Gulzar Sangarwal, a member of Laghman provincial council.

“I hope that the peace negotiations are concluded successfully and the reduction in violence will lead to a durable ceasefire,” said Ismail Youn, a writer.

The intra-Afghan talks are expected to start ten days after the US-Taliban agreement is signed.

“Our demand for the peace process is focused on the protection of the system and the protection of Afghan security forces,” said Hazrat Omar Zakhelwal, the former Afghan ambassador to Pakistan.