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High Casualty Toll Among Security Forces After Ceasefire Announcement
After the announcement of a ceasefire by the Afghan government and the Taliban group, the insurgent group has increased its deadly attacks against the Afghan forces in several provinces.
According to figures, more than a hundred governmental forces either killed or injured during the last four days only in Herat, Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Kandahar provinces.
At least 18 soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack over an army base in Zawal district of Herat province, 25 soldiers killed in Qala Zal district of Kunduz, 11 security forces killed in Sar-e-Pul and 37 others killed in Arghandab and Shah Wali Kot districts of southern Kandahar province of the country during the last four days.
"Every day the Afghan security forces have 12 to 13 casualties. This is concerning. Last month we had more than 30 casualties each day," said Farid Bakhtawar the head of Farah Provincial Council.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Radmanish a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense (MoD) accepts the high number of casualties, saying we are using all sources to eliminate the threats posed by enemies.
Military experts claim that mismanagement and weaknesses in detective and intelligence institutions are the mean reasons behind the rising casualties of Afghan forces.
"Our forces are crippling in defensive lines. The government has no offensive plans or contingency plans to save the lives of Afghan security forces which is due to mismanagement. Possibly the enemies will try to use the ceasefire opportunity in order to carry out more attacks," said Javid Kohistani, a military analyst.
"Everyone must think that the enemy is very smart. They have to anticipate where they will attack. What are our weaknesses that need to be strengthened," added Atiqullah Amarkhail, another military analyst.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated his call for improved relations with Afghanistan but emphasised that Kabul must rein in Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) first.
While addressing a cabinet meeting, Sharif said that Afghanistan was Pakistan’s “brotherly neighbour”, and that it was Islamabad’s heartfelt wish to improve relations with Kabul, especially with regards to the economy and trade.
“Unfortunately, the TTP is operating from Afghanistan and carrying out terror attacks and killing innocent people inside Pakistan. This cannot go on,” he said.
“We have conveyed to the Afghan government that we desire good ties with them but TTP should be stopped from killing our innocent people. This is a red line. TTP operating from there against Pakistan is unacceptable.”
Sharif reiterated his call to the Afghan government to devise a concrete strategy, saying that Pakistan was ready for dialogue.
“But the policy of talks and allowing TTP to operate against Pakistan can’t go simultaneously,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani military's spokesman Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday that Pakistan has consistently worked towards establishing peace in Afghanistan, however, despite these efforts, terrorist activities originating from Afghan soil continue to pose a threat to Pakistan.
He emphasised that the roots of terrorism are often traced back to Afghanistan, and Pakistan remains determined to dismantle terrorist networks without compromise.
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are carried out from Afghanistan. However, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has denied the allegations saying that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan's "security failure."
The latest remarks by Pakistani officials come three days after the country carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan's Paktika province, killing at least 46 people.
The Defense Ministry of the Islamic Emirate said that the strikes were against the international principles, which will not be left unanswered.
A Chinese company has expressed interest to invest in building a hydroelectric dam on the Kokcha River in northeastern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Energy and Water said on Thursday.
The ministry said in a statement hat the head of the Chinese company met with Sirajuddin Wahaj, provincial director of energy and water in Takhar, and the technical team of the ministry.
The technical team of the ministry and the provincial director of energy and water in Takhar welcomed the company's interest and promised cooperation in this regard.
At least 20 children have been killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday.
"UNICEF is deeply saddened by reports that at least 20 children have been killed in an attack near the border in eastern Afghanistan. Our sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones. Children are not and must never be a target," Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF's regional director in South Asia, said.
Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Paktika's Barmal district on Tuesday night. The Islamic Emirate said 46 people were killed in the strikes.
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