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Afghanistan’s prime minister condemns killing of Hamas leader in Iran
Akhund said the assassination of Hamas’s political leader is a desperate and transparent attempt to divert attention by Israel from its military shortcomings and failures
The Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Mullah Muhammad Hasan Akhund has extended his condolences to Hamas and the people of Palestine on the assassination last week of the group’s political leader .
In a statement issued Sunday, Akhund said: “The assassination of Hamas's political leader is a desperate and transparent attempt to divert attention from its (Israel) military shortcomings and failures.”
He said the targeted assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran by the Zionist regime is not only a heart-breaking loss but also a blatant violation of international laws and norms.
“This egregious act by the Zionist regime occurred while he was a guest of the government, highlighting the enemies' utter contempt for diplomatic sanctity and the principles of international conduct,” he said.
Akhund also stated that the persistent silence of Western institutions and human rights organizations over the past ten months starkly reveals the true nature and biases of these entities.
“I unequivocally condemn this cowardly and unjustifiable attack on Martyr Ismail Haniyeh. May Allah grant him and all the martyrs of Gaza the highest ranks alongside the martyrs of Badr and Uhud.”
He went on to state that despite its relentless campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people, Israel’s strategic objectives remain unmet and that the Palestinian resistance will undoubtedly continue their righteous struggle for rights and freedom.
He said: “In light of these events, I urgently call upon the international community, particularly the influential nations of the region and the world, to take immediate and decisive action to halt the Zionist regime's atrocities in Gaza.
“It is imperative to prevent the further escalation of this conflict, which threatens to engulf the entire region in flames. The responsibility for any expansion of this war rests solely with the Zionist regime and its supporters.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday in a statement that Haniyeh was slain in Tehran by a short-range projectile with a warhead of about 7 kg.
Wednesday’s assassination has aroused fears of direct conflict between Tehran and its arch-enemy Israel in a region shaken by Israel’s war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.
Revenge for the killing of the Hamas leader will be “severe and at an appropriate time, place, and manner”, the Guards’ statement added, blaming the “terrorist Zionist regime” of Israel for his death.
Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president.
Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility.
The statement by the elite Guards force also accused the “criminal U.S. government” of supporting the attack which Iranian media said took place in a northern suburb of Tehran.
Haniyeh was buried on Friday in Qatar, where he was based.
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Suhail Shaheen meets with Chinese ambassador to Qatar
The head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) political office in Doha, Suhail Shaheen, met with China’s ambassador to Qatar late Monday for talks on bilateral relations, good neighborliness, and trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
“About the Wakhan road, the export of Afghanistan's fresh fruit to China, the reconstruction of cold stores, China's assistance in the field of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and good neighborliness between the two countries were discussed,” Shaheen said in a voice message.
China and the Islamic Emirate have been rapidly expanding relations in recent months.
Experts, meanwhile, have said that other countries need to engage with the IEA, as China is doing, in order for Afghanistan to come out of isolation.
Shaheen also met with Katharina Ritz, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Afghanistan.
He discussed numerous issues including humanitarian assistance, health sector challenges and climate change.
Both sides emphasized that ICRC activities need to be expanded, considering the needs of the people.
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IFRC reports over half of Afghanistan’s population needs urgent humanitarian aid
Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks
The International Federation of Red Crescent (IFRC) has reported that Afghanistan continues to face prolonged and complex humanitarian crises.
IFRC said in a report published on Tuesday, that about 23.7 million people, more than half of Afghanistan’s population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
According to the IFRC, natural disasters, the growing impact of climate change, population displacement, economic challenges, and food insecurity are the main factors contributing to Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks.
The country is also prone to earthquakes, with nearly 400 tremors recorded in the last three years, including significant quakes, such as the 6.3 magnitude in Herat Province in October last year.
The compounding effects of disasters in the country have exacerbated the already fragile situation in Afghanistan, the IFRC’s report read.
These successive disasters have pushed more Afghans into poverty and heightened their vulnerability.
In addition, Afghanistan’s economic crisis is widespread, with more than half of households experiencing an economic shock.
The country’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign aid and remittances, which have declined significantly since the political change in 2021.
This has resulted in high levels of unemployment, challenging people’s coping mechanisms and thwarting the already fragile economy’s ability to adapt to shocks, the report read.
The IFRC said more than 85 percent of the country’s population is now living below the poverty line.
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Maldives recalls envoy to Pakistan over meeting with Afghanistan envoy
The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting had not been sanctioned by the government
The Maldives government has recalled its top diplomat in Pakistan after he had an unauthorized meeting with an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan envoy in Islamabad.
The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting between the Maldives High Commissioner Mohamed Thoha and IEA envoy Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb on Friday had not been sanctioned by the government.
Maldives media reported that the foreign ministry stated: “Consequently, appropriate action has been taken by the government of Maldives.”
Thoha’s name has also been removed from the website of the Maldives mission in Islamabad, and an official source told AFP that he had been recalled.
Since regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, no country has yet officially recognized the government.
However, the IEA has been making inroads into the diplomatic arena and has official missions now stationed in a number of regional countries.
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