Latest News
MoD rejects claims that Faryab district has fallen to Taliban
Faryab Provincial Council members on Thursday claimed Almar district in the province had fallen to the Taliban but the Ministry of Defense said there was no truth in these reports.
According to Faryab council officials, government forces were under siege for several days in Almar but eventually withdrew after widespread attacks by the Taliban.
They said the district fell once troops withdrew and that both sides sustained heavy casualties.
However, other officials said that security forces retreated from the district center in order to “prevent casualties of civilians and local forces.
“Security forces surrounded the Taliban but they managed to escape and move to Khawja Osman base which is 4 km away from the center of Almar,” local sources said.
In addition to this, Faryab police said that acting district police chief Mohammad Amin Patang crossed sides on Wednesday afternoon and joined the Taliban.
Abdul Karim Yourish, a spokesman for the provincial police chief also said Patang had joined the Taliban. He said this was due to the intensity of the Taliban attacks.
Yourish said Patang was appointed as acting police chief of Almar three months ago.
Security sources in the district meanwhile said a number of security and defense force members in the district had been under siege but that the siege was broken Thursday and the trapped security force members had been rescued.
The Ministry of Defense meanwhile denied claims that Almar district had fallen to the Taliban and said in a statement that ANDSF conducted an operation in the district and cleared large areas of Taliban. The MoD emphasized that the district is under ANDSF control.
"The published news about the fall of Almar district of Faryab province is incorrect. ANDSF conducted an operation in the district and cleared off vast areas of Taliban and the district is under control of ANDSF," MoD said in a statement.
Provincial Governor Naqibullah Fayeq also denied reports of the district having fallen to the Taliban but said he has decided to move the staff out of the government district office due to security threats.
“Today's operation, which was aimed at rescuing soldiers, [resulted in] 36 Taliban being killed in the area; the enemy line was defeated and the Taliban lost the ability to confront the security forces. The operations of the commandos continue and tonight the remaining parts of Almar Bazaar will be cleared of the enemy,” Fayeq said.
The Taliban has not yet commented.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan met late Thursday with Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s deputy special political envoy for Kabul and they stressed the increase of cooperation with Afghanistan, the embassy said in a statement.
In this meeting, Qomi told Gagnon that Iran would support any initiative taken by the international community for Afghanistan.
In the meeting of Georgette Gagnon with Mr. Kazemi, the issue of narcotics and the presence of the private sector in Afghanistan were discussed, and Iran supports any constructive initiative of the international community for Afghanistan,” according to the statement.
Experts, meanwhile, believe the solutions of the United Nations to cooperate with Afghanistan's neighboring countries in consolidating stability and security can solve key issues such as terrorism and immigration.
Some experts consider strengthening Iran's partnership and cooperation with the UN for greater stability in Afghanistan is important and necessary.
However, Iran has not yet recognized the caretaker government of Afghanistan and has repeatedly emphasized the establishment of a comprehensive government in the country.
Over the past three years, Iran has established good relations with the Islamic Emirate, and trade between the two countries has increased.
Meanwhile, Tehran has previously opposed the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan by the United Nations.
Ten people were killed by unknown individuals in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province on Thursday night, police said on Friday.
The incident happened as the victims were doing Zikr at a mosque in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district, police said in a statement.
The statement said that they used to regularly go to mosques and monasteries at night after returning from work.
Abdul Ghayoor Khadim, a provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that an investigation was launched.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.
During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.
It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.
The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.
Iran’s envoy meets UNAMA deputy, stresses cooperation with Afghanistan
North Korea’s Kim accuses US of stoking tension, warns of nuclear war
Ten people killed in Baghlan attack
Chinese, Turkmen officials meet to discuss Afghanistan
U.S. House approves bill on evacuation of Afghan allies
China to offer Afghanistan tariff-free trade
Private sectors of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan sign contracts worth $100 million
Pakistan bans entry to parks, zoos as air pollution worsens
Gurbaz ton guides Afghanistan to seal ODI series over Bangladesh
Trump, Putin speak as Biden plans to lobby Trump to stick with Ukraine
Tahawol: Expanding ties & cooperation with Iran discussed
Saar: Calls for improving Afghanistan’s relations discussed
Tahawol: Calls for expanding cooperation between Afghanistan-Iran discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s self-sufficiency challenges reviewed
Tahawol: Concerns over tension between Russia-Ukraine reviewed
-
Sport4 days agoAbu Dhabi’s thrilling T10 tournament just days away
-
World4 days agoBiden allows Ukraine to use US arms to strike inside Russia
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan beat UAE by 169 runs in U19 tri-series
-
Latest News3 days agoTajikistan trumps Afghanistan 3-1 in football friendly
-
World3 days agoLebanon, Hezbollah agree to US proposal for ceasefire with Israel, Lebanese official says
-
Latest News4 days agoTwo Afghan diplomats posted to Germany under former government resign
-
Latest News4 days agoChina’s envoy says Beijing never interferes in Afghanistan’s internal affairs
-
Latest News4 days agoSaudi Arabia executed 101 people, including three Afghans this year