*President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday, after Eid prayers at the Presidential Place, called on the Taliban to use the opportunity for peace created by the foreign troops leaving the country. *
The prayer ceremony was attended by former president Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, the Parliament speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani, Senate speaker Fazl Hadi Muslimyar and a number of other politicians and government officials.
“The Taliban cannot have a better chance than this as the international troops are leaving the country,” Ghani said, adding that “the people's arms are open to them” and end the war.
“Our people know who is responsible for blasts and suicide attacks,” Ghani said. “We don’t want destruction, we want development.”
“The international troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan is a great opportunity,” he said. “The new chapter of our cooperation with the international community has started.”
“Today, the region looks at Afghanistan as an opportunity,” he said.
“There is political consensus in the country, and the Republic is an umbrella for all,” Ghani said.
“Let's see the Taliban's intention,” he said, referring to the peace efforts. “All the politicians want an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.”
“What is your (Taliban) message, what do you want, why are you destroying the districts?” Ghani said. Show us one district where you have complete control and have built something.”
He mentioned that the Taliban’s war has costed the nation $1billion.