Afghans meet to restore dialogue

There has been a significant increase in the number of attacks this year

Tribal leaders, members of civil society and politicians in Afghanistan have held a meeting to discuss ways of bringing peace to the country.

The gathering took place in a tent in the capital, Kabul, on Thursday.

It agreed that its representatives would meet members of the Taleban and Hezb-e-Islami groups to lay the ground for peace talks with the government.

Afghan and foreign troops have been fighting the Taleban in the volatile south and south-east of Afghanistan.

Several thousand representatives attended Thursday's meeting.

The meeting in Kabul also agreed that operations by the international forces in Afghanistan had led to people joining the insurgents.

It called on Islamic countries to do more to help establish peace and security in Afghanistan.