Afghan leaders must seize chance for peace: NATO

NATO on Friday urged Afghanistan's feuding political factions to unite to end the country's long-running war, as a fragile peace process with the Taliban hangs in the balance.

The transatlantic alliance, which maintains a training mission in Afghanistan after ending combat operations there in 2014, demanded the Taliban curb violence to allow talks to start.

The call comes after the militants dismissed a government call for a Ramadan ceasefire as "not rational" and as they ramp up attacks on security forces.

"The current level of violence caused by the Taliban is not acceptable," the North Atlantic Council, NATO's ruling body, said in a statement.

"We call urgently on the Taliban to reduce violence and create the conditions conducive to commence negotiations."