Feature: Afghans pray for lasting armistice, security on Int'l Day of Peace

Like other peace-loving citizens around the globe, the war-weary Afghans are marking the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21 with prayers to see the end of endemic conflict and for the restoration of lasting peace in their insurgency-plagued nation.

Each year, the International Day of Peace in Afghanistan is observed by holding conferences, meetings and offering special prayers at the mosques where the war-plagued Afghans call upon militants to give up fighting and help rebuild the country ravaged by war.

Marking the day, the government-backed peace body, the High Peace Council (HPC), in a statement released here described Afghanistan as a "victim of imposed war" and called upon the armed opposition groups to give up fighting and initiate dialogue with the government to find amicable solutions to the country's lingering crisis.

"Availing opportunity on the International Day of Peace, the High Peace Council is calling upon all opposition groups to give up fighting and negotiate with the government to find a negotiated settlement for the country's prolonging problems," HPC urged in the statement.

The protracted war and civil strife have forced millions of Afghans to leave their country for safer places over the past three decades and while more than 5 million refugees have returned home since the collapse of the Taliban reign in late 2001, nearly 4 million Afghans are still living in Pakistan, Iran and other countries, even though the process of repatriation is ongoing.

While Afghans are marking the International Day of Peace, the armed militants including the Taliban and the so-called Islamic State (IS) outfit have been challenging government forces in several provinces, claiming lives including civilians.

The theme of the International Day of Peace for 2016 is The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace, but many Afghans are skeptical about achieving the noble goals set for the Day in the current year, believing that continued militancy will devour all hope of achieving viable peace in their country.

"To be frank, returning lasting peace in Afghanistan is no more than a dream because since my childhood and particularly since the toppling of the Taliban by the U.S.-led coalition forces and the contribution of billions of dollars to the country over the past 15 years, no horizon for peace is in sight," Sharif Zakria, 23, a Kabul resident, told Xinhua.

"Like millions of Afghans, the lingering instability here will finally force me to leave my homeland for safer places, probably Europe," Zakria said morosely.

Around 104,000 people have reportedly been killed in the Afghanistan war since 2001 and according to media reports, more than 31,000 of those killed were civilians and some 41,000 more civilians sustained injuries.

According to a report from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released in July, 1,601 civilians had been killed and 3,565 others injured in the first six months of 2016, which indicates a four percent increase compared to the same period in 2015.

"Peace means development, peace means prosperity and peace is everything because a peaceful environment is essential to work, to earn a livelihood and finally to overcome poverty," Gul Bakht, a female Kabul resident, told Xinhua.

"My prime objective in my life is to see lasting peace and security restored in Afghanistan," Bakht declared. Enditem