Afghans show support for troops with cries of 'Allahu Akbar'

New Delhi/Kabul, Aug 5 Anti-Taliban rallying calls, which were first chanted by the people in Herat province, have now spread to Afghan capital Kabul, Khost, Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.

In Kabul, thousands of people took to the streets chanting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Great) to oppose the Taliban offensive and support the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), media reports said.

Vice-president Amrullah Saleh was among those who were raising the slogans opposing the Taliban.

While thousands were protesting on the streets of Kabul, scores of others, including women and children, were roaring the chants from their rooftops and the remaining were raising slogans using the loudspeakers of mosques.

Kunar and Nangarhar provinces in eastern Afghanistan and Khost in southeastern Afghanistan also witnessed rallies raising 'Allahu Akbar' slogans in support of ANDSF and opposing the Taliban.

In Khost province, apart from the hundreds of people who gathered on the streets, Mullahs (religious preachers) were chanting the slogan through the loudspeakers of mosques.

President Ashraf Ghani had said on Tuesday that the chants imply who is respecting the sacred call and who is fulfilling the commandments of Allah. He also accused the Taliban of killing innocent Afghans, media reports said.

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh was seen among the crowds in Kabul, chanting 'Allahu Akbar'.

"This slogan reflects the voice of the Afghan nation, this slogan needs to be raised in support of peace in the country, not for massacres and creating chaos," said a resident of Kabul.

People in other areas of Afghanistan, including Nangarhar, Badakhshan and Takhar provinces, also chanted the slogan to announce their support for the security forces.

"We raised the slogan 'Allahu Akbar' in Jalalabad and this slogan will be chanted across Afghanistan. We will support our security forces and fight together with them in the trenches if needed," said Raz Mohammad Imranzai, a resident of Jalalabad city, media reports said.