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Ghani suggests US troops might not be withdrawn by May as planned

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President Ashraf Ghani implied on Friday that he expects the Biden administration to keep US troops in Afghanistan for longer than anticipated under the US-Taliban deal, signed by the Trump administration, saying the Taliban aren’t meeting their obligations to reduce violence.

This comes after a dramatic surge in violence since the signing of the deal in Doha in February last year.

On Thursday Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Taliban’s refusal to reduce the violence is raising questions over whether the 2,500 US troops remaining will leave by May as planned.

In an interview on Friday with the Aspen Institute, Ghani said such statements send “a signal to the Taliban that the US is here to secure peace and not to retreat and leave the field open.”

Ghani said during the virtual event that the new Biden administration’s review of the peace deal should take weeks, not months, which is a sign of a “very predictable” new phase in the US-Afghanistan relationship.

Ghani said he hopes to speak soon with President Joe Biden and that the US is planning to send a team to Kabul to discuss how to “energize the peace talks.”

He also said Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy who brokered the agreement with the Taliban will now be reporting to a “very organized decision-making process,” this being in reference to the new Biden administration.

He also stated that “NATO will play a bridging role” as the US draws down, but “NATO without US enablers cannot continue its mission.”

On the high level of violence in the country, he said Afghanistan must hold the Taliban responsible for the surge in killings.

“If the Taliban realize they can prevail through violence they will not let go,” he said adding “we must hold the Taliban responsible for this environment of violence…This is not the way to get attention. It is the way to get condemnation for truly inhuman violence.”On the issue of a possible interim government, Ghani was adamant that this was not a good idea.

He pointed out that Afghanistan has had interim governments in the past that have been unsuccessful.

“We’ve had interim governments. They have led to bloodshed,” he said adding that such a move would be detrimental to Afghanistan.

“The citizens of Afghanistan must be empowered…Where would I get the authority to dissolve the Republic? I have sworn to uphold the constitution,” he said.

Ghani also pointed out that the ethos of peace talks has not been passed down to the Taliban’s fighters on the ground.

“Peace has not been socialized to the Taliban commanders or rank and file,” he said implying that just recently the group’s leaders were seen visiting wounded fighters in a hospital in Pakistan and giving them words of encouragement.

Encouraged by the Biden administration’s approach to Afghanistan, Ghani said Washington is working with the government, and “the focus is on ending 40 years of violence.”

“The process has begun and we couldn’t be more pleased with the early focus, systematic attention, and a dialogue between two partners,” he said.

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Civil war devastated Afghans more than the Soviet invasion, says Fitrat

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The civil war inflicted greater harm on the people of Afghanistan than the Soviet invasion, Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of the Army Staff of the Islamic Emirate, said on Monday

“The Soviet Red Army invasion did not make the Afghan people as miserable as the civil wars and power struggles made,” he said at a ceremony marking the 33rd anniversary of the mujahideen’s victory against the former Soviet-backed regime.

Fitrat warned that if someone is thinking of occupying Afghanistan using those who have fled the country, the Afghan people are ready to fight against them even if takes thousands of years.

“No matter how they impose war on the people of Afghanistan, the people have the courage and heroism,” he said. “Their honor will never allow them to be controlled by someone else. They will fight against them. They have fought for four and a half decades and are ready to fight for thousands more. If anyone thinks of occupying our country, they will fight against them.”

Acting Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Alhaji Mullah Noorullah Noori also stressed that Afghanistan will soon will compete with other countries in political, economic and security sectors.

“The day will come when Afghanistan will compete with the world’s major countries in every field, politically, economically, security,” he said.

Acting Minister of Information and Culture Khairullah Khairkhwa called on the officials of the Islamic Emirate to refrain from “power worship,” warning that it would lead to the collapse of the government.

“If, God forbid, we revive the past and there is power worship here again and we try to increase our influence, the regime will collapse and the people will become divided,” he said.

At the ceremony, the Chief of Staff of Army also stressed the dignified return of refugees from neighboring countries, adding that humiliating them is unacceptable for the Islamic Emirate.

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Qatar’s Prime Minister meets with Afghanistan’s foreign minister

According to Gulf Times, the two officials reviewed the latest developments in Afghanistan and discussed ways to support the Afghan people.

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Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met with Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi who is currently visiting the country.

According to Gulf Times, the two officials reviewed the latest developments in Afghanistan and discussed ways to support the Afghan people.

Al-Thani emphasized the State of Qatar’s unwavering support for all segments of the Afghan people and its continued efforts to achieve security, stability, prosperity, and a dignified life in Afghanistan.

A source told Ariana News that Muttaqi arrived in Qatar on Sunday. No further details on his trip were given.

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WFP air services in Afghanistan may be suspended due to funding crisis

According to WFP, the organization urgently needs $10.5 million in funding to continue its relief flights in 2025.

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The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) in Afghanistan has announced the possible suspension of its air services in the country due to a severe shortage of funding.

WFP is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan and the air services have played a vital role in transporting humanitarian aid, especially to areas difficult to reach by land.

In a message posted on X, the WFP explained that in the past, when roads were blocked, air services were the only way to deliver aid to remote areas of Afghanistan. This aid included food, medicine, and other essential items that are essential for the survival of millions of people in need in Afghanistan.

According to WFP, the organization urgently needs $10.5 million in funding to continue its relief flights in 2025.

In addition, the WFP stated that humanitarian needs in Afghanistan continue to increase and  millions of people across the country are dependent on humanitarian assistance.

WFP stated that if air services are stopped, it will become very difficult, if not impossible, to deliver vital aid to areas that are not accessible by road.

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