Feature: Afghans offer Eid prayers, hope for enduring peace

The war-weary Afghans on Friday offered Eid-ul-Fitr prayers amid tight security while requesting the restoration of peace and normalcy in the war-hit country.

The Eid-ul-Fitr festival, which is the second-largest annual religious event after Eid-ul-Adha, is marked at the end of Ramadan by a three-day public holiday, with Muslims holding Eid prayers only on the first day of the festival.

Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani took part in Eid prayers,which were held in a mosque inside Arg, the country's Presidential Palace earlier on Friday.

"I congratulate all my fellow Afghans and Muslims around the world and I hope this Eid will mark the beginning of peace and prosperity in Afghanistan," the Afghan leader said after offering the prayer.

The hope for peace in the country has been revived after Mullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, announced his group's readiness to join the peace dialogue with the Afghan government.

"My happiness in this year's Eid became twofold as I heard peace is coming. I prayed for the great Allah to make the peace process successful and lead the upcoming peace meetings to be fruitful,"Khalilullah, who like many Afghans goes only by one name, told Xinhua in Shah-e-Do Shamshira, a historic mosque in central Kabul.

The first face-to-face talks between a delegation of the Afghan government and Taliban representatives took place in Pakistan earlier this month and both sides agreed to hold a second round of talks after Eid holidays.

"Enough is enough, we do not want fighting, it is enough, we want peace," Khalilullah said.

The second round of peace negotiations will possibly take place on July 30, the Afghan National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar was quoted by local media as saying on Thursday, while he did not reveal the exact place for the upcoming meeting.

The majority of Afghans go to their relatives' houses during the Eid days to visit and congratulate each other during the religious festival.

Days before Eid-ul-Fitr, the faithful Afghan families begin preparations to celebrate Eid by shopping for new clothes for family members, especially for children, and buying a variety of confectionery and fruit to welcome guests during the Eid.

"I am happy and hopeful as for the first time, the Taliban has expressed readiness for negotiations. It is great news this year," Khalilullah said.

For the first time, since the Taliban regime collapsed in late 2001, the Taliban leader described the overtures for peace by the Afghan government as "legitimate."

The state-run and private television channels, by airing special programs, particularly music and comedy shows, help people enjoy life during the three-day Eid holidays. Cinemas show local and foreign films mostly from Bollywood and Hollywood.

"I am thankful for the security forces for their efforts to provide safety during Eid days. As soon as I leave the mosque, I will join my wife and children to go to my parents and in-laws' houses to congratulate them and enjoy eating food with them, as we will start to begin eating again during the day, after the fasting month," Mati Baig, 30, told Xinhua at the same mosque.

"I am also grateful for the new Afghani leaders, including President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and the Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah for their efforts to help organize the peace meetings with the Taliban," Baig went on to say.

"We have suffered from war and killings over the past 35 years. I wish for my children to have a chance to live in peace," Baig said. Endi