Hundreds of Afghan peace marchers yesterday arrived exhausted in the capital, Kabul, after spending the fasting month of Ramadan crossing the sun-baked, war-torn country, much of it under Taliban control.
The marchers, all men, including teachers, students and war victims on crutches and one in a wheelchair, were welcomed along the way by village women carrying the Koran, men singing and dancing, or offering bread and yoghurt, some in tears.
“I saw and learned things that I had never thought of before,” said Iqbal Khayber, 27, a medical student from Helmand. “We met people in areas controlled by the Taliban and in areas under government control — everyone is really tired of war.”
Photo: Reuters
The march was triggered by a car bomb in Helmand on March 23 that killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens, and for which no group claimed responsibility.
The marchers, varying in number from day to day, would take main roads and sometimes turn into villages, choosing dangerous areas on purpose to try to confront people’s fear, Khayber said.
“We saw people suffering huge pain from the war... Honestly, my conscience doesn’t let me calm down. It hurts me and I ask myself: Why we did not start working for peace earlier?” Khayber said.
Before Ramadan, the marchers were walking 30km to 35km a day, but during the fasting month, when they could not take food or water during daylight hours, they slowed to 20km to 25km per day.
In one area of Ghazni Province, they were told by the Taliban not to enter an area because it was too dangerous.
“We met Taliban fighters and after an introduction, they told us we shouldn’t have come here because the area is planted with bombs and they had planned an attack,” Khayber said. “After minutes of discussion with them, they seemed tired of it all, and the war. They directed us back to the safest area.”
Mohammad Yasin Omid, 24, a teacher from Zabul Province, said he joined the march on its 21st day.
“The group had already walked for 15 days. When I saw their bleeding and blistered feet, I could not control my tears so I decided to join them,” he said.
The Taliban are fighting to expel foreign forces, defeat the US-backed government and restore Sharia after their ouster by US-led forces in 2001.
However, Afghanistan has been at war for four decades, ever since the Soviet invasion in 1979.
The government and the militants declared temporary ceasefires for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, leading to hugs and selfies between the two sides as militants emerged from their hideouts to enter towns.
The Taliban ceasefire ended on Sunday. The government extended its ceasefire, which had been due to end tomorrow, by 10 days.
The anti-war marchers said they will not stop in Kabul.
“We received support from the people in Kabul as we had expected,” marcher Badshah Khan said. “Now we will have sit-ins in tents and continue walking to other provinces to get more support.”
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