Afghanistan’s former president Hamid Karzai on Monday posted a recent speech of his to X stating that education and knowledge is vital for society and has resulted in the progress and development we see in the world today.

Addressing last month’s 38th International Islamic Unity Conference via video link, Karzai said: “Education and knowledge, beyond being considered vital for human society, are emphasized by our religion and religious leaders.

“Undoubtedly, the progress and development we see in the world today are the results of education and knowledge. Neglecting education is a clear sign of ignorance about the complexities of modern humans and their necessities,” he said.

He went on to state that “our expectation is that through Islamic cooperation, greater attention will be paid to the necessity of education and we should agree that without modern sciences, we will not be able to solve basic problems in various areas of life.”

Karzai, who is a proponent of education, has repeatedly called for girls and women to be allowed to return to school and university in Afghanistan.

The 38th Islamic Unity Conference was held in Tehran last month.

Qatar and Indonesia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that provides Afghan students scholarships to study in Indonesia. 

Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater signed the MoU with Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi.

According to a statement issued by the Qatari Foreign Ministry, the MoU aims to establish a cooperation framework to build human capacities of the Afghan people by providing scholarships to study in the Republic of Indonesia.

The scholarship program is part of the two countries' broader shared vision and mission to support education and development projects in Afghanistan locally and globally, with a particular focus on creating opportunities that empower Afghan youth to build a brighter and more prosperous future in their country, Al Khater said. 

She also affirmed Doha's unwavering support for Afghanistan and spoke about Qatar’s $75 million pledge to support the country.

Al Khater said the MoU would boost the Qatar-Indonesia mutual commitment to establish a framework of cooperation to help build human capacities of the Afghan people by providing scholarships for Afghan students to study in Indonesia.

She also said Qatar would continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the Afghan people, in partnership with Indonesia and other countries in the fields of health, food security and capacity building.

Indonesia’s minister of foreign affairs, Marsudi in turn said that the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan underscores the urgent need for education, especially for Afghan women and girls.

She pointed out that currently there are more than 20 Afghan students benefiting from scholarships in Indonesia and that the signing of the MoU will enable more Afghan students to pursue higher education at Indonesian universities.

She also pointed out that Indonesia provided this year 10 million polio vaccine doses and humanitarian aid to the Afghan people affected by natural disasters, in addition to its cooperation with a local non-governmental organization to organize a psychosocial project that includes 400 Afghan women, providing them with the opportunity to participate in social life and enabling them to overcome their challenges.

Affirming her belief in the importance of creating a favorable environment for Afghan women and providing further job opportunities, Marsudi highlighted her country's readiness to help develop a business model for Islamic microfinance that is appropriate for Afghanistan.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan forces on Sunday “neutralized” a group of militants in a raid on a suspected ISIS stronghold in Ghor province.

According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the IEA’s spokesman, the group “had orchestrated an attack targeting Shia civilians in the capital of Ghor on the 12th September 2024, resulting in the deaths of approximately 20 civilians.”

He said the group had also been implicated in various other attacks across Ghor, Kabul, and Bamiyan.

“Operations against the group were initiated last week by the Islamic Emirate's Special Mujahideen Forces. By Allah’s grace, several members were apprehended and admitted responsibility for their actions,” he said.

“Today, Sunday, in the Marko region near Ghor’s capital, a successful raid on one of their strongholds led to the elimination of the group's leader and another prominent member.

“A significant stockpile of weapons, ammunition, grenades, and explosives was recovered from the location,” Mujahid said.

“Unfortunately, this group was operating under the direct command of ISIS leadership based in Balochistan, executing their operations on the orders of ISIS-Khorasan authorities in the region.”