Saudis to Host Conference Seeking Afghan Peace

WASHINGTON — 

Saudi Arabia is hosting an international Muslim scholars conference on peace and stability in Afghanistan next week, Afghan officials told VOA.

Delegations from 57 Islamic countries are expected to participate in the two-day conference Tuesday and Wednesday in Jeddah and Islam's holy city of Mecca, officials of the Afghanistan High Peace Council (HPC), a government body tasked with talking to the Afghan Taliban, told VOA.

Atturahman Saleem, HPC deputy chairman, said 110 Muslim scholars participating in the conference “are expected to discuss the Afghan war and peace process,” he added.

HPC expressed hope that the Afghan Taliban would send their representatives to participate in the conference.

The insurgents have yet to comment on the upcoming conference, but the group dismissed religious decrees issued by similar conferences held in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia in the past, which condemned acts of terrorism, such as suicide attacks and bombings, as non-Islamic acts and against the teachings of Islam. - More, VOA

Saudis to Host Conference Seeking Afghan Peace

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