Latest News
Afghanistan worst place in the world for women and children: UN

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Deborah Lyons, said Thursday Afghanistan remains the worst country for women and children.
“Despite significant progress in the last two decades, Afghanistan remains one of the worst places in the world to be a woman, and one of the worst to be a child,” she briefed the Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan.
She said that the level of violence on the battlefield remains deeply worrying.
“The last few weeks have seen near-record numbers of security incidents, including egregious attacks by spoilers targeting civilians involved in the peace process.”
Deborah calls on all warring parties to reduce the level of violence.
It comes as the main obstacle, the prisoner swap process between the Afghan government and the Taliban, ahead of the intra-Afghan talks has been removed.
National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said Thursday the prisoner release process has almost ended and peace talks can now start.
He said: “It is imperative that intra-Afghan peace talks begin as soon as possible.
“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has received our commandos held hostage by the Taliban, after which the government released the remaining 400 convicts, except the few for which our partners have reservations. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing. We expect direct talks to start promptly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deborah Lyons urged the two sides to consider a humanitarian ceasefire as one of the first items on the agenda of Intra- Afghan negotiations.
“For Afghanistan’s most vulnerable people, the stakes could not be higher. I urge all member states to amplify this call as the negotiations begin. And the negotiations will begin,” she noted.
“After four decades of war, the people of Afghanistan have more reason than ever to hope that this devastating conflict may come to an end,” UN envoy said.
“After four decades of war, the people of #Afghanistan have more reason than ever to hope that this devastating conflict may come to an end,” UN envoy @DeborahLyonsUN tells Security Council. More: https://t.co/N3lhm8supy pic.twitter.com/0JTnVDPaLu
— UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews) September 3, 2020
Deborah Lyons also emphasized the need for women’s participation in the coming Intra-Afghan negotiations that could pave the way to end the long-term war in the war-weary country.
“We all know that talking will not be enough. Women’s rights are already emerging as one of the most difficult issues confronting the conflict parties as they enter negotiations, and one where any compromises could pose, will pose, a difficult dilemma for member states,” she said.
“The issue will be more central, this issue of women’s rights will be more central in the Afghan peace process than we have ever seen in any other peace negotiation in recent memory.”
She noted that it is women’s representation at the peace table that offers the best opportunity to ensure that their own rights are upheld and that their vision for elements of a peaceful Afghanistan is reflected in all aspects of the talks.
“I commend the women members of the Islamic Republic negotiating team and other peace structures for their energetic outreach and substantive preparations for intra-Afghan talks.”
“As of this moment, we are not yet aware of any women’s representation on the Taliban side, but we remain hopeful that they, too, will find a way of meaningfully including women, the other 50 percent of the population, in their negotiation team,” Lyons added.
Latest News
Needy families in Nangarhar receive Ramadan aid from Bayat Foundation

On the occasion of Ramadan, Bayat Foundation delivered food aid to dozens of needy families in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar this week.
The organization’s officials said that the aid packages include flour, rice, and cooking oil, which was distributed to the needy after a transparent assessment.
“Bayat Foundation helps thousands of families across Afghanistan every year. Fortunately, today this Ramadan aid was distributed to hundreds of families in Jalalabad. This aid includes flour, rice, and cooking oil,” Attaullah Sahil, a representative of Bayat Foundation in Nangarhar, said.
Appreciating Bayat Foundation’s assistance, officials of the Nangarhar Department of Economy called on other charities to help the needy during the holy month of Ramadan.
“These families are very deserving families who were selected after conducting a survey in the presence of representatives of the Department of Economy and Bayat Foundation. All families are deserving, and they include widows, the disabled and the poor,” Mohammad Asif Rahmani, a representative of the Nangarhar Department of Economy, said.
Recipients welcomed the Ramadan aid from Bayat Foundation, saying that those in need require more help.
Haider, an aid recipient, said: “We are very poor people. There are no job opportunities. Thank you very much to Bayat Foundation for helping us.”
Mohammad Zaman, another aid recipient, said: “During this Ramadan, I was facing difficulties. I could not find sustenance. Bayat Foundation helped us. May God help it.”
Bayat Foundation has helped the needy not only during the holy month of Ramadan, but also during natural disasters, and has continued to cooperate with government institutions in various sectors, especially health and education.
Latest News
IEA controls power in Afghanistan, security prevails: Araqchi

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, has said that the Islamic Emirate controls power in Afghanistan and security prevails across the country.
Speaking in an interview with Khabar Online, Araqchi said that before the Islamic Emirate took over, different parts of Afghanistan would be governed by different groups.
“The reality is that now there is a power in Afghanistan that has consolidated its rule over the past three and a half years, and unlike in the past, when every corner of Afghanistan was in the hands of different people, this is not the case now. Security and rule prevail. We must address the issues and resolve them for our national interests,” Araqchi said.
The Islamic Emirate welcomed the remarks saying that it indicates an understanding of the realities in Afghanistan.
“This actually means a correct understanding of the realities in Afghanistan. It is a fact that there is a single political governance in Afghanistan that has complete control over Afghanistan,” Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said.
Araqchi also added in his interview that there are issues in Afghanistan that are related to Iran’s national interests, so he traveled to Kabul to discuss them with the officials of the Islamic Emirate.
He mentioned water rights, presence of Afghan refugees in Iran and Daesh as issues that need to be discussed between the officials of the two countries.
The Iranian diplomat said that Tehran, like other countries, has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, but despite sanctions, trade is taking place between the two countries in high volumes.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdulsalam Hanafi, said in a meeting with the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to Iran recently that Afghanistan and Iran have long-standing religious, historical, cultural and economic relations, and the embassy officials should make every effort to strengthen them.
Latest News
Uzbekistan sends essential food aid to Afghanistan

Marking the new solar year, 1404, and the holy month of Ramadan, Uzbekistan this week delivered almost 200 tons of food aid to Afghanistan via Balkh province.
This is in line with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s directive that humanitarian aid be sent to Afghanistan, Kun.uz reported.
The essential food items were handed over in Hairatan border town in a ceremony attended by Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev; Surkhandarya governor Ulugbek Kosimov; representatives from relevant ministries; Balkh provincial governor Muhammad Yusuf Vafo; and other officials from both countries.
The aid package consists of flour, wheat, pasta, vegetable oil, sugar, instant meals, red beans, and mung beans.
Additionally, a bilateral meeting was held in Mazar-e-Sharif, where discussions focused on advancing future cooperation. During the talks, special attention was given to the construction of the Imam Bukhari Mausoleum in Afghanistan, a project supported by Uzbekistan.
Afghan officials expressed gratitude to the president and people of Uzbekistan for their assistance, Akipress reported.
At the end of December, Uzbekistan sent humanitarian aid containing food and medicine to Afghanistan, as well as a “health train”.
Uzbek doctors conducted free medical examinations of the population in Balkh province between December 25 and December 30.
-
Latest News5 days ago
Afghan prisoners in Iran sent home
-
Latest News5 days ago
Afghanistan ranks last in World Happiness Report
-
World5 days ago
Trump, Zelenskiy pledge in phone call to work for end to war in Ukraine
-
Regional5 days ago
Macron and Saudi Crown Prince discuss Gaza, Ukraine peace process
-
Latest News4 days ago
Pakistan once again urges IEA to act against militants
-
Latest News5 days ago
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister opposes military operations in the province
-
Regional4 days ago
At least 91 killed in Gaza as Israel abandons ceasefire, orders evacuations
-
Sport3 days ago
AFC Beach Soccer: UAE thrash Afghanistan 7-1 in opener