Members of the Helmand peace convoy on Wednesday gathered in front of the US Embassy in Kabul where they chanted slogans in support of peace and national reconciliation. 

The activists, who numbered up to 100, called on Washington to seek ways for ending the war in Afghanistan. 

“We call on the Afghan community in the US to launch similar campaign for peace and pass on this message of peace to the American people to put pressure on the US government to help in ending the war in Afghanistan,” said movement leader Iqbal Khyber. 

On the last day of their protest in front of UN office in Kabul on Wednesday, the activists sent a letter to the UN Secretary General António Guterres, asking him not to remain indifferent towards ending the ongoing war in Afghanistan. 

An excerpt from the letter states that the UN should include the Afghan war on its top agenda and that it should put pressure on countries involved in the conflict to cooperate in restoring a lasting peace in the country. 

“The people of Afghanistan are not satisfied from the contribution of the United Nations towards the war in Afghanistan. UN needs to take practical measures toward ending the war in the country,” peace activist Mohammad said.

“The movement will continue until Afghanistan achieves peace. We will not be tired our efforts for peace,” peace activist Zemarai Zaland said.

The peace convoy is now expected to hold three-day sit-in protest in front of the US embassy in Kabul.

Activists will then conduct similar protest in front of Iran, Pakistan and Russian embassies.

Initially, they launched a sit-in protest in Lashkargah city after a suicide bombing outside a stadium. About a month later, a group of eight protestors left Helmand on foot for Kabul, all the while spreading messages of peace.

The activists walked through towns and villages, crossed provinces and met with residents along the way. And as they progressed, so their numbers grew.

About 700km later, the group of eight had grown to an estimated 100.

Finally arriving in Kabul last week, they handed over demands for a ceasefire and peace to both the Afghan government and the Taliban.

The group gave the Taliban three days in which to answer and said if they failed to do so, they would embark on sit in protests outside diplomatic offices and missions in the capital.

The Taliban’s deadline was Friday and after receiving no response from the insurgent group.

The activists, whose ages range from 17 to 65, come from all walks of life and include students, athletes and farmers among others.