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Atmar says region now understands the urgent need for peace

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(Last Updated On: June 21, 2021)

Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar said he believes countries in the region have come to agree that peace in Afghanistan is in their best interests as the emergence of any new transnational terrorist networks will pose a serious threat to neighboring nations.

In an interview with TRT this weekend, Atmar said “understanding has been achieved” in the region but that more needs to be done to “translate that understanding and consensus into concrete action”.

Atmar also said that Afghanistan welcomes Turkey’s offer to run the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul once US and NATO troops have withdrawn.

“We believe that this will be essential for continuation of Turkish and NATO as well as the international community’s support to Afghanistan. This is going to be important for the diplomatic community in Kabul and it’s also important for international assistance to Afghanistan,” he said.

He also said that he believes the new system will see Turkey as the lead nation in protecting the airport and might be supported by other NATO allies including Hungary.

He said Pakistan plays an “exceedingly important” role in the Afghan peace process and that Turkey in turn is trying to get Islamabad’s support to bring an end to the conflict.

In the face of rising violence, Atmar stated that “no nation can cope with this level of devastating violence that has been imposed on us”.

He said it was important for international and particularly regional partners to understand that the “Afghan people are actually fighting on behalf of the region and the international community to secure us against international terrorism”.

“It’s important that the region redoubles its efforts on one hand for peacemaking with the Taliban, on the other for counterterrorism against foreign and international terrorist groups.”

Atmar however said that the Taliban was not negotiating in good faith adding that they “are not even true to their own understanding of the Islamic principles and teachings”.

He said all along the Taliban has claimed to be fighting against the presence of international troops but now that the foreign forces are withdrawing the group is “fighting their fellow Afghans, fellow Muslims”.

He questioned how they justify this.

“The Taliban must explain to themselves, to Afghans and the whole Muslim world as to why they continue to fight and kill Muslims in their own country,” he said adding the Taliban also needs to “be faithful to their commitment under the Doha peace agreement (with the US) in which they committed themselves that they would cease violence and reach a political settlement with the people of Afghanistan once the international troops begin to leave Afghanistan”.

Atmar went on to say that the question now is Afghanistan, “the region and the international communities whether we can work together to compel the Taliban to negotiate and reach an agreement and respect that agreement”.

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TAPI gas company CEO satisfied with project’s progress

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(Last Updated On: March 28, 2024)

The minister of mines and petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar met with the executive director of the TAPI project and the ambassador of Turkmenistan in Kabul on Thursday to discuss progress around the key project.

Murad Amanov, head of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline project, expressed his satisfaction with the recent progress of the project and talked about the practical roll out of the project.

Delawar said that the preliminary work of TAPI is progressing quickly and that the pipeline will be put into operation in the near future.

TAPI is a natural gas pipeline being developed by the Galkynysh – TAPI Pipeline Company Limited with participation of the Asian Development Bank.

The pipeline will transport natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.

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UK’s Mercer faces 10-day deadline in Afghanistan war crimes inquiry

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(Last Updated On: March 27, 2024)

Johnny Mercer, the former UK Minister for Veterans Affairs, has been given 10 days to reveal the source of allegations that British troops engaged in war crimes in Afghanistan, or face a potential prison sentence.

British media reported on Tuesday that Mercer, following his allegations regarding the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces, was ordered to reveal the sources of his information.

The BBC reported that a public inquiry commissioned by the UK government into the actions of its forces in Afghanistan has directed Mercer to disclose the names of individuals who leaked information to him about alleged war crimes and cover-ups by special forces, or he may face imprisonment.

Although separate investigations have sought to verify these claims, the British government has yet to officially confirm them.

Earlier this month, Mercer, who served in military missions in Afghanistan, told the court that despite the information he possesses, he cannot confirm the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces between 2010 and 2013.

In court, he also stated that the claim British soldiers killed unarmed civilians in their sleep does not contradict his findings, but he admitted reluctance to believe it.

According to Mercer, British forces were allegedly instructed to carry an unregistered weapon — one not associated with NATO forces — to place next to the unarmed Afghan individuals they had killed.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the countries that had troops in Afghanistan for 20 years all committed war crimes.

Mujahid stated that if the investigation carries on, it will be a big step and that the crimes committed should be investigated transparently.

“The crimes that have been committed should be investigated transparently because this was not the work of a few soldiers but a plan that was drawn and crimes were committed in Afghanistan,” he added.

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Floods leave two dead in Faryab and Sar-e-Pul

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(Last Updated On: March 27, 2024)

Local officials in Faryab and Sar-e-Pul say heavy rain and floods have claimed two lives in these two provinces.

Rain and floods also caused widespread damage and financial losses.

In addition to the loss of lives and money, floods have closed roads in some districts in these two provinces, officials said.

According to them, the destruction of agricultural lands, residential houses, and bridges is widespread and has made life difficult for the people.

Meanwhile, the families who suffered losses during the floods are demanding immediate assistance from the government and aid agencies.

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