Ghani, Abdullah emphasize permanent ceasefire

President Ashraf Ghani and High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) chairman Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Monday expressed their concern over increasing violence in the country and emphasized a permanent ceasefire.

The Presidential Palace in a statement said President Ghani met with Dr. Abdullah Abdullah at the palace.

Both leaders discussed recent progress in the peace process and regional matters and expressed their concern over increasing violence in the country and also emphasized on a permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan.

The two leaders meet amid increasing incidents of violence in the country despite the passage of three months since the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations in Qatar.

In the first round of intra-Afghan peace talks lasted three months and the two sides only agreed on procedural rules.

The negotiating sides rose for a three-week break and returned to Doha for the second round of talks on January 6.

The new US government says it will review the peace agreement with the Taliban. The agreement was signed during former president Donald Trump’s administration.