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Commander Ismail Khan captured as Taliban seize Herat

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Last Updated on: May 18, 2022

Taliban insurgents have seized most of Herat, Afghanistan‘s third-largest city, and also captured Ismail Khan, the veteran local commander leading militia resistance there, local officials said on Friday.

The fall of Herat, the latest in a series of major provincial cities to be taken by the Taliban in the past few days, has dealt a shocking blow to the government of President Ashraf Ghani only weeks after the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

One official said Afghan government forces had agreed to withdraw from Herat airport, 15 km (nine miles) from the city, and the Army Corps commander’s headquarters, the last centers under their control. However other sources said Afghan forces were still at the airport as of 1 p.m. Friday.

“The Taliban agreed that they will not pose any threat or harm to the government officials who surrendered,” said provincial council member Ghulam Habib Hashimi.

As fighting subsided, the streets fell silent in Herat, a major economic hub of about 600,000 people close to the border with Iran and over centuries one of the historic centers of Persian culture.

“Families have either left or are hiding in their houses,” said Hashimi, who described Herat as a “ghost town”.

Herat has seen increasingly heavy fighting with popular militia groups serving alongside regular army units as Taliban pressure on the city mounted following the U.S. pullout.

Khan, the most prominent militia commander and believed to be in his 70s, together with the provincial governor and security officials, were handed over to the Taliban under an agreement, Hashimi told Reuters. He had no details of the deal.

Khan’s capture, confirmed by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, provided one of the most potent symbols of the crumbling of resistance in the city.

Photos and videos showing the eminent commander apparently in the hands of the insurgents were widely shared on social media although they could not immediately be verified.

Ismail Khan is widely known as the Lion of Herat. His involvement in Afghanistan‘s wars goes back to the anti-government uprising that helped trigger the 1979 Soviet intervention, and his return to the front lines a month ago was a clear sign of the growing threat to Herat.

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Afghanistan now has unified central government: IEA defense minister

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Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate, says that Afghanistan currently has a unified central government, and that no groups engaging in destructive activities are present in the country. He added that they will not allow anyone to undermine the country’s security.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, Mujahid made these remarks at a graduation ceremony for commandos of the Special Forces Division. The ceremony was attended by Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Minister of Interior; several cabinet ministers; foreign ambassadors and military attachés; special representatives; and a number of officials and military personnel.

Addressing the commandos, Yaqoob Mujahid said: “In the service you perform, make the pleasure of Almighty Allah your sole intention, because Almighty Allah will reward you for such an intention in this world and the hereafter. There is now a unified central government in the country, and no groups engaging in destructive activities are present. We will also not allow anyone to undermine security.”

He also added: “I assure our people that these forces will defend the lives, property, and territory of their beloved country with full courage and wisdom. I tell all foreign countries that Afghanistan is now secure, and there is no enemy in this country, whether from within or outside, that poses a threat to others.”

At the ceremony, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani also said: “For half a century, Afghanistan did not have an independent army. However, now, it has an organized army and other security forces. You are not a ceremonial army, nor do you operate to serve the interests of others; rather, you are an organized and independent army. Although we may be materially weak, we are stronger than others in terms of morale and spirituality. We must maintain high morale, avoid acting emotionally in military affairs, and respond to the enemy at the appropriate time. We are not a threat to anyone; rather, we are defenders of our own land.”

It is worth noting that 1,000 young commandos of the Special Forces Division of the Ministry of Defense graduated from the eighth training course after completing six months of professional, ideological, and commando training.

During the ceremony, the graduating commandos, in cooperation with the Air Force, demonstrated coordinated practical and military exercises using various types of unmanned aircraft.

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Baradar approves action plan for establishing special economic zones

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The action plan for establishing special economic zones across the country was approved on Wednesday by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.

According to a decree issued by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, these special economic zones will be established in the provinces of Kabul, Balkh, Nangarhar, Kandahar, Herat, Paktia, and Kunduz.

Under the plan, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in cooperation with other relevant ministries and government agencies, will identify the land required for these zones, determine the necessary sectoral activities and services, and create the conditions needed to attract investment.

The establishment of these special economic zones is aimed at attracting new investments, achieving a relative balance between exports and imports, and expanding production activities in a suitable environment, paving the way for a new phase of economic development in the country.

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Russian deputy prime minister to visit Kabul with high-level economic delegation

The visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.

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Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk is scheduled to visit Kabul on Thursday, leading a high-level economic delegation, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

According to a statement by the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for officials from both countries to discuss ways of expanding bilateral economic cooperation and identifying new areas for trade and investment.

The ministry did not provide further details about the delegation’s programme or the specific projects expected to be discussed during the visit.

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