As the peace campaign gets momentum in its emerging place, Helmand, some activists, tribal elders and residents from Herat, Farah and Paktia provinces established sit-in camps in support of the movement, calling on the Taliban to end war and violence.

The activists and residents said peace is the biggest demand of the Afghan people and that civilians are the main victims of conflicts.

Farah residents and tribal elders joined the Herat sit-in camp which was established this week.

“Herat residents and elders have decided to raise their voice to support peace and any efforts for this purpose,” said Faqir Ahmad Bayangar, a resident of Herat. 

“We want peace to be ensured in Afghanistan. We don’t want our people and children to cry once again, we don’t want our sisters to cry once again. We call on the two sides to come up with peace for the sake of Allah and for prosperity of this nation,” Haji Mohammad, a tribal elder form Farah, said. 

Paktia residents meanwhile called on the Taliban to accept government’s peace offer.

“As representatives of Paktia province, we have the right to ask our Taliban brothers to address our four decades-long demand. They should accept the president’s (Ashraf Ghani) peace offer and they should stop bloodshed,” said Farid Taskin, a resident of Paktia. 

“We are all one. We have been divided into three parts: first Afghan government forces, second Taliban, and another the people. We want to bring together these three parts in order to become united,” said Ehsanullah Ehsan, a resident of Paktia.

This comes after a new sit-in camp was established in Helmand province – this time in Gereshk district – on Thursday, as momentum continues to gather around the peace campaign.

Gereshk protestors started their sit-in demonstration on Friday in support of their Lashkargah counterparts who embarked on their peace campaign last Monday. 

The Lashkargah protestors, including women, have vowed to continue their demonstration until their demands for a ceasefire by both the Taliban and government have been met. 

The Gereshk sit-in is the second in the province to be established this week, after the Lashkargah group set up their camp last Monday. 

On Monday this week, a second group of activists embarked on a sit-in in Nawa district in support of the peace campaign. 

The Lashkargah sit-in was sparked by the deadly car bombing, almost two weeks ago, outside a stadium in the city following a wrestling match.