Tribal elders and a large number of religious dignitaries in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar on Thursday called on the warring parties to end the ongoing bloodsheds immediately and instead expedite the peace process so that decades long-suffering of the Afghan people could end.

They said that the continuation of war and violence in the country nor has Islamic justification neither humanitarian.

The clerics meanwhile said that the warring sides should announce a ceasefire.

“When there is no peace there is no school,” said Saifullah, a school in Nangahar.

“We call on all opponents who fight the government to surrender to peace for the sake of Allah so that Afghanistan is rehabilitated,” said Mawlavi Abdul Baseer, a cleric.

Joining the religious dignitaries and elders, a number of school and Madrasa students in the area said that the ongoing warfare in the country has been depriving them of learning and other basic human rights.

“Peace is our dignity and pride,” said one scholar in Nangarh Munawar Shah.

“Stop sacrificing more Afghans, stop making more children orphans,” said Mawlavi Hamidullah, head of east zone religious union.

Tribal elders also emphasized the need for an end to the war and restoration of peace and stability.

“Peace is our most important need. Afghan people are tired of war and bloodshed,” said Azizurrahman Sediqqi, a tribal elder in Nangarhar.

This comes amid extensive efforts in the national and international levels to bring the Taliban to the negotiations table in order to end the 18-year long conflict in the country.