Helmand peace team to protest outside embassies

The Helmand peace team from Sunday onwards will commence a sit-in protest, outside embassies and diplomatic missions in Kabul.

At a press conference, on Saturday, Bismillah Watandost, the convoy's spokesman, stated that the members of the peace convoy will hold protests outside a number of embassies and diplomatic missions for three days.

Watandost said, the first protest will be launched on Sunday outside the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), Tolo News reported.

Earlier this week, the activists gave the Taliban three days to revert to their demands including, a month-long ceasefire. However, the insurgent group didn't respond to the convoy's plea.

"We will spend three days in front of each embassy. During these three days, we will try to launch demonstrations in those countries that we are protesting against. By holding our demonstration's(in the country), we want to create a relationship between our people and the citizens of those countries; and we hope the citizens of the foreign countries ask their governments why Afghans are protesting outside their embassies," Tolo News quoted Watandost as saying.

On June 20, the peace team said there is a need for everyone in Afghanistan to work towards establishing peace through intra-Afghan talks and without the involvement of foreigners.

Once there is peace and stability, foreign troops need to withdraw from Afghanistan, they said, adding, they will continue protesting till peace in the region is achieved.

After having walked for 38 days to reach Kabul, the members of the Helmand Peace Convoy on June 18 finally reached Afghanistan's capital.

The activists covered over 700km and travelled through war-weary Kandahar, Zabul and Ghazni provinces.