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Afghan forces kill mastermind of Nangarhar prison attack
Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) on Tuesday confirmed Special Forces had killed the mastermind of this month’s Nangarhar prison attack.
The NDS said in a statement on Tuesday it had killed high ranking Daesh member, Abdullah Orakzai, the chief justice of ISIS-K/Daesh in Afghanistan.
According to the NDS, Abdullah Orakzai had masterminded the recent prison attack which left at least 30 people dead and more than 50 wounded.
The Afghan spy agency, however, did not provide further details.
Abdullah Orakzai had also been the deputy intelligence leader of Daesh.
Assadullah Orakzai, who was killed by the Afghan Special Forces near Jalalabad, in Nangarhar province, in late July, had been the head of intelligence for the terrorist organization.
However, Abdullah Orakzai was also suspected of being involved in several deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets in the country, the NDS added.
“Abdullah Orakzai, was military in charge for Daesh in Naziyan and Achin districts of Nangarhar province, and he had issued a fatwa allowing its insurgents to behead civilians and forcibly marry their girls,” the NDS said in a statement.
This latest development comes after Afghan Special Forces arrested another coordinator of the prison attack during a raid in Kunar province on August 5.
The key commander was identified as Mohammad Saeed son of Mohammad Afzal, who was involved in moving foreign ISIS insurgents along with their families around the country.
“He (Mohammad Saeed) was one of the masterminds of the recent attack in Nangarhar,” the NDS said.
The prison attack started when an Indian doctor, Ijas Kallukettiya Purayil, detonated an explosive-laden vehicle at the entrance gate of the jail.
Soon after 10 militants stormed the facility and it took security forces nearly 18 hours to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, an Afghan MP claimed that around 800 ISIS-K (Daesh) and Taliban prisoners had escaped during the attack. Afghan officials later confirmed that hundreds of Daesh and Taliban prisoners were missing.
Daesh has not yet commented in this regard.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
A passenger bus veered off the Salang Highway before dawn on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 44 others injured, the Ministry of Public Works said.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. in the Shawol area of North Salang when a passenger bus deviated from the main road due to the driver’s negligence.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said five passengers were killed and 44 others sustained injuries. He added that personnel from the Salang Maintenance and Protection Directorate promptly arrived at the scene and transferred the injured to the Khunjān clinic for medical treatment.
The Ministry of Public Works has urged drivers and passengers traveling on the Salang Highway to strictly follow the instructions of on-duty teams, observe traffic regulations, and carry warm clothing, food supplies, and snow chains to prevent similar incidents.
The ministry also noted that heavy snowfall and stormy weather have led to the temporary closure of the highway, while road maintenance teams are continuing snow-clearing operations.
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Major fire in Mandawi Kabul market contained, extensive losses prevented
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
The Ministry of Interior reported that personnel from the General Directorate of Firefighting and Emergency Response successfully prevented the further spread of a fire at Mandawi market on Kabul early Sunday morning.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the ministry, said that the fire destroyed 10 storage facilities and 8 shops. He added that initial losses are estimated at around $700,000, but timely action by firefighting personnel saved property worth approximately $2.2 million.
Qani explained that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He praised the rapid and effective containment operations, which prevented more extensive damage.
Local shopkeepers said the fire broke out around 4 a.m.
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