KABUL: In a message to the nation on a major Muslim holiday, the Afghan president said Friday that negotiations with the Taliban are the only way to “end the bloodshed” and bring peace to the country.
Ashraf Ghani spoke at the presidential palace in Kabul after Friday prayers on the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which follows the fasting month of Ramadan.
It was his first Eid message to the nation since becoming president last year. Ghani has made peace talks with the Taliban a priority for his administration.
Ghani also thanked Mullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusive Afghan Taliban leader, for his statement this week backing the peace talks.
Ghani says it’ important the Taliban “want to join the political process.”
In his tweet too, he expressed hope for a peaceful Afghanistan.
Eid Mubarak to my fellow Afghans & to all Muslims around the globe. I hope this Eid will mark the beginning of peace & prosperity in AFG.
— Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) July 17, 2015
Earlier this month, neighboring Pakistan hosted the first face-to-face Kabul-Taliban talks, supervised by U.S. and Chinese representatives.
د نیکمرغه کوچني اختر له لمانځه وروسته د جمهور رئیس غني پیغام—-یوټیوب لېنک: https://youtu.be/MgcDpyhGvrk
Posted by Ashraf Ghani on Friday, July 17, 2015
