For the war-weary people in Afghanistan, protests and peace rallies have become the only way to show their fatigue from war and to urge all the parties to seek a common ground.

The Helmand Peace March movement led by youth from the strife-torn southern province of Helmand has now reached Kabul, after covering 700 kilometers by foot through four of Afghanistan’s most insecure provinces – Helmand, Zabul, Ghazni and Maidan Wardak.
This movement was born out of a Taliban bombing in Helmand in March that left at least 15 dead and many others wounded. The marchers have listed four main demands including unconditional ceasefire by all sides of war, identification of channels for peace talks, consideration for Islamic and national values, and specific timeline for the withdrawal of international forces from the country.
The marchers have been warmly welcomed by people in all the provinces they have visited so far. Their hashtags have been widely shared on social media, making it one of the most popular and successful peace campaigns in Afghanistan’s recent history.
On Tuesday, the marchers met with President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul and discussed their agenda for peace and conflict resolution. Taliban have so far refused to hold any parleys with them.