Afghan peace protesters marching through Taliban territory have been detained by the insurgents, two supporters of the movement told AFP on Tuesday. The so-called People's Peace Movement attracted international attention last year when they walked across Afghanistan and into the capital Kabul in an attempt to reduce the record levels of violence across the country.
Thousands of civilians have been killed or injured in the past 18 years of fighting between the militant group and US-backed forces. About 30 members of the People's Peace Movement started a new walk on May 27, when they set out from Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province. According to Abdul Malik Hamdard, a peace march supporter, the Taliban forced four members of the group to accompany them in vehicles Sunday night as they crossed into Taliban territory in the south of the country.
Then on Monday, Taliban fighters returned and took the rest of the group, except for a few older members, he added. About 25 marchers were detained in total, he said. "Initially (the Taliban) told us that 'we will talk to them'," Hamdard told AFP. "We have had no news from them since then."