Latest News
Zalmai Khalilzad to visit Qatar seeking Taliban’s final decision on reducing violence
A credible source at the US Embassy Kabul says the United States wants to know whether the Taliban are willing to reduce violence because of the peace agreement; therefore, the US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is going to travel to Qatar in order to know the Taliban's final decision in the matter.
Abdul Shokor Motmayen, former head of the National Olympic Committee during the Taliban regime, says that the Taliban military council has agreed to reduce violence and talks in this regard, will resume as soon as Khalilzad's trip to Qatar where a peace agreement will be signed.
The ceasefire demanded by the Afghan government has not been the focus of the peace talks so far. The reduction of violence by the Taliban means to reduce the number of attacks in major Afghan cities, highways, and civilians.
Najia Anwari, the spokesperson of State Ministry for Peace, says that they are trying to consolidate and strengthen national and international harmony about peace.
Meanwhile, some experts are concerned about the consequences of the Iran-US confrontation, particularly the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, over the Afghan peace process. They believe that there are possibilities in the escalation of violence in Afghanistan.
Rahmatullah Bezhanpor, a political activist, says that Iran will most probably manipulate its influence over the Taliban leaders to undermine the US-led peace process in Afghanistan.
Peace talks between US and Taliban representatives were suspended nearly a month ago. Zalmai Khalilzad further emphasized that the Afghan peace process has reached a sensitive phase and called the halt a good opportunity for Taliban representatives to dig deep the matter of ceasefire, violence reduction and intra-Afghan talks, with their leadership.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated his call for improved relations with Afghanistan but emphasised that the administration in Kabul must rein in Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) first.
While addressing a cabinet meeting on Friday, PM Shehbaz said 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.”
The prime minister 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.
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.
TTP operating from Afghanistan against Pakistan is ‘unacceptable’: Sharif
China’s first railway consignment arrives in Afghanistan via Iran
Chinese company interested in building a hydroelectric dam on Kokche River
Manmohan Singh, India’s reluctant prime minister, dies aged 92
At least 20 children killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika: UNICEF
ATN to broadcast upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025 draw
Lebanese man returns home after 32 years in Syrian prisons
Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar
Excluding Afghan women from medical institutes threatens the future of health care in the country: MSF
Blinken defends US withdrawal from Afghanistan in House appearance
Tahawol: Syria’s harsh criticism of Iran’s leader’s remarks discussed
Saar: Afghan officials’ insistence on revenge against Pakistan discussed
Saar: Enhancing relations between Kabul and Central Asia
Tahawol: Reopening of Saudi Arabia embassy in Kabul discussed
Saar: IEA seeking to strengthen Afghanistan’s economy
-
Business5 days agoShoemaking industry in Takhar province facing stagnation
-
Latest News5 days agoEight Afghan migrants die as boat capsizes off Greek island
-
Latest News3 days agoOver 50 Afghan inmates freed from Pakistani prisons
-
Science & Technology5 days agoAlbania bans TikTok for a year after killing of teenager
-
Latest News4 days agoSaudi Arabia reopens embassy in Afghanistan
-
Latest News4 days agoTrump criticizes abandoning of equipment in Afghanistan, vows to rebuild military
-
Latest News5 days agoHuman traffickers should be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison: IEA leader
-
World3 days agoIsraeli defense minister claims responsibility for first time for Hamas leader Haniyeh’s assassination