KABUL -- Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference of Islamic scholars in an effort to bring peace to Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported.
The two-day International Ulema Conference on Peace and Security in Afghanistan kicked off Tuesday (July 10), with events taking place in Jeddah and Makkah.
More than 200 representatives from 57 countries were expected to attend, including a 35-member Afghan delegation.
The conference is aimed at supporting peace efforts in Afghanistan and at condemning terrorism and violent extremism in all forms. The event was organised by the Saudi government and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC).
"The military operation is not the way out of war in Afghanistan," Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, the head of the OIC, said at the conference.
Afghan officials Monday (July 9) expressed hope that the meeting would help convince the Taliban to come to the negotiating table.
