Millions across Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Tuesday night chanted the slogan Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest), in a show of support for Afghan forces fighting the Taliban. The rallying cry began earlier in Herat city and has been reported in other areas across the nation as well.

First Vice President Amrullah Saleh was seen among 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 in 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 of Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest) in Jalalabad and this slogan will be chanted across Afghanistan, we will support our security forces and will fight together with them in the trenches if needed, said Raz Mohammad Imranzai, a resident of Jalalabad city.

This outpouring of support for the security forces began on Monday night in the city of Herat, in western Afghanistan, which has seen fierce fighting over the past few weeks and resisted Taliban attacks against Herat city over the past eight days.

The campaign comes as Afghan security forces are fighting the Taliban in multiple areas across the country.

In response, the Taliban said that Allahu Akbar is the group’s slogan and that those who abuse Allahu Akbar will be held accountable.

While the Afghans were chanting the slogan in Kabul on Tuesday night, the Taliban attacked the residence of acting Defense Minister Bismillah Mohammadi in downtown Kabul, killing at least eight people including a woman.