Addressing political elites and journalists at the Presidential Palace on Friday, President Ashraf Ghani said it is the time for anti-government armed groups to choose the path of peace “if they are Afghans and are not the tools of others”.

“The anti-government armed groups should choose. It is the time that they should choose that whether they are Afghans and have been grown by an Afghan mother or they are a tool of Khawarij (members of an evil group that appeared in the first century of Islam) for creating divisions (among the people of Afghanistan),” he said. “Once again I extend the hand of peace to all of them (militant groups) and tell them that peace is the order of God.”

He commended the sacrifices of the Afghan Security and Defense Forces.

“All Afghans appreciate the continuous sacrifices of our security forces and I am thankful for the national consensus on the support of the Security and Defense Forces of Afghanistan,” he said.

Pointing out to recent attacks on mosques in the country, he called on the people to stay united. 

“This should be clear that attack on any sacred place whether they are mosques or academic centers is attack on Afghans and this should be condemned by all Afghans,” he stated.

He added: “I call on all Sunnis to go to the mosques of Ja'fari jurisprudence followers and meanwhile I call on the Ja'fari jurisprudence followers to go to Sunnis’ mosques and display the real religious unity,” he said.

The president pointed out to major changes in Afghanistan’s foreign policy, saying that the past four decades’ wishes of Afghans will come true in the near future. 

“From here, I have a message to Pakistan: We are ready for comprehensive political talks. Peace with Pakistan is in our national agenda,” he concluded.