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Death toll likely to climb following deadly 6.1 earthquake in Afghanistan

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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s acting Prime Minister Hasan Akhund chaired an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning following the deadly 6.1 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Khost in the early hours of the morning.

By mid-morning Wednesday officials had confirmed almost 300 people had been killed and a further 600 injured in Paktika and Khost provinces.

It was decided at the emergency meeting that affected families of those killed be given cash assistance and that the wounded need urgent treatment. Authorities were also instructed to use ground and air transport to deliver food, clothing, medicine and other essential items to those affected.

Pakistan said early Wednesday that it stands in solidarity with Afghans. The ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement the “government and people of Pakistan extend deepest condolences and sympathies over the loss of precious lives and damage to property caused by the tragic earthquake in Paktika province of Afghanistan and its adjoining areas, and torrential floods in various provinces across the country.”

Pakistan also said its “authorities and institutions are working to extend required assistance to Afghanistan in coordination with their relevant institutions.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif meanwhile tweeted that he is “deeply grieved to learn about earthquake in Afghanistan, resulting in loss of innocent lives. People in Pakistan share the grief & sorrow of their Afghan brethren. Relevant authorities working to support Afghanistan in this time of need.”

The European Union’s special envoy for Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson also responded early Wednesday and said: “The EU is monitoring the situation and stands ready to coordinate and provide EU emergency assistance to people and communities affected.”

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) meanwhile said search and rescue operations are ongoing and are being led by the IEA authorities.

“The UN and humanitarian partners have been requested to support the de facto disaster management authority in assessing and responding to immediate needs,” UNOCHA tweeted.

According to them, inter-agency assessment teams have already been deployed to a number of affected areas and that the UN and humanitarian country team in Afghanistan expresses deep sympathy to all people affected by this disaster.

IEA spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid has meanwhile confirmed that in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, personnel from regional units have reached areas worst affected by the earthquake and are transporting the injured to hospitals.

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Eleven people shot dead at shrine in Baghlan

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Eleven people have been killed in a shooting at a shrine in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province, local sources said on Friday.

The incident took place at 9 pm on Thursday at the shrine of Sayed Padsha Jan in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district.

A local resident said the dead were residents of Nahrin district and wanted to spend the night at the shrine.

Asadullah Mustafa Hashemi, the provincial information and culture director, confirmed the incident but did not provide details on how it happened or the number of casualties.

Provincial police spokesman said they had not received any information about the incident yet.

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Chinese, Turkmen officials meet to discuss Afghanistan

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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.

 
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U.S. House approves bill on evacuation of Afghan allies

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The U.S. House Of Representatives has passed a legislation on evacuation of Afghans who assisted Americans during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

“The passage of the CARE Authorization Act of 2024 further underscores the commitment made by the U.S. government to safeguard those who served shoulder-to-shoulder with our personnel during the twenty-year mission in Afghanistan,” Congresswoman Dina Titus said in a statement.

“The State Department has made it clear: There is no deadline for the crucial job of protecting Afghan allies. By authorizing the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts at the State Department, we can more effectively relocate and resettle those who have qualified to immigrate to the U.S. as a result of their service to this country.”

In 2022 the State Department established a specialized office called the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) to streamline and coordinate the ongoing relocation and resettlement process for eligible Afghans from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the United States.

The CARE Authorization Act of 2024 will formally authorize the CARE office at the State Department for three years and grant important authorities to advance its mission. These include an extension of authorities to enter into personal services contracts as well as measures to streamline the transfer of funds to and from other agencies involved in the Afghan relocation mission.

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