Afghan president insists on early polls for peace

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - On the occasion of a landmark three-day truce for Eid, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the government is ready for early polls for the sake of peace in the war ravaged country.

In a live televised Edi day address, Ghani urged the Taliban to recognize war is not the solution to the raging conflict in Afghanistan.

"The good thing about the democratic system is that every president eventually has to go. Our condition is elections, as soon as you want, me and my colleagues are ready not to nominate ourselves and listen to the people's voice," said Ghani.

He added the departure of foreign troops has provided a historic opportunity for Afghanistan to implement broader sovereignty nationwide.

Afghanistan's national flag flew at half-mast at all public offices in the country and diplomatic missions around the world on Tuesday as the death toll from Saturday’s bomb attack on a girls’ school in Kabul surged to 85.

Responding to the Taliban’s brief truce call for Eid, Ghani said the withdrawal of foreign troops leaves no reason for the Taliban to continue their deadly insurgency. “Resorting to violence, killing civilians, destroying infrastructure, and attacking public places is wrong and illegal on any day, not just Eid days,” he said.