A group of women’s rights activists at a gathering in the northern province of Kunduz on Monday announced their support to the ongoing peace efforts by the Afghan government and the United States with the help of other allies of Afghanistan but said that the process should be expedited. 
 
The activists said that Afghans are tired of war and that all stakeholders should engage in productive talks about finding a political settlement to the 17-year conflict in the country. 
  
“An immediate ceasefire is a two-way approach. It cannot be a one-way approach. It is not possible that government announces ceasefire and the other side continues the war. We all want an immediate ceasefire but on condition that it is a mutual decision,” said Salima, a women’s rights activist from Kunduz. 
 
“The reason for our gathering is that we want peace from both sides because the people are tired of war,” said Roya Habibi, an activist from Kunduz. 
 
The activists said that women should be given an active role in the peace process.