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Foreign allies decry ‘savage attacks’ on Afghan civilians
NATO allies and partners in Afghanistan on Monday issued a joint statement condemning the ongoing targeted attacks and assassinations of individuals involved in specific sectors of society.
This comes after almost daily killings of people who appear to have been singled out by insurgents to be assassinated.
Of the dozens of people killed in this way in the past few months are judicial officials and media representatives among others.
Even Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh was targeted but survived the explosion which had singled out his convoy while he was on his way to work early one morning in September.
In Monday’s statement, the EU Delegation, diplomatic missions of the EU Member States, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden, Australia, Canada, the NATO Mission to Afghanistan, Norway, the United Kingdom and the US Mission based in Kabul all stated they “strongly condemn the recent targeted and unlawful attacks on representatives of the media, religious leaders and groups, human rights defenders, students, civil society and civilians at large.”
The statement noted that “the Taliban and various terrorist organizations are responsible for the significant majority of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.”
“We consider these not only as savage attacks against Afghan blood, but as an attack on the very peace process in Afghanistan,” the statement read.
All parties to the statement also said they recognize the bravery of Afghanistan’s people, but that they are confident that these attacks will fail in their intent to silence the diversity of opinions.
“It has never mattered more for the people of Afghanistan to feel able to express themselves freely and provide their opinions on the peace talks, as well as engage in the process, to achieve an inclusive and sustainable peace.”
“Upholding the free flow of information and holding the perpetrators accountable will benefit everyone who wishes to live in a peaceful and democratic Afghanistan,” their statement read.
They said they honor all those in Afghanistan who work tirelessly to advance freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
They also specifically stated that the respective missions expect that all parties to the conflict will protect the freedom and the independence of the media and civil society in Afghanistan.
“We reaffirm our commitment to champion the freedom of all the Afghan people. We call for immediate compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
“To this end, we support the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to investigate and prosecute those who are targeting these individuals with violence and immediately end the impunity of these killings.”
Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Amir Khan Muttaqi on Thursday met with senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official Mohammad Reza Bahrami Taqanaki for talks on bilateral relations, water issues, Afghan refugees and recent developments.
According to a statement issued by Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry, Muttaqi told the Iranian official that bilateral relations were expanding and emphasized that both countries should make the most of the existing opportunities.
Bahrami Taqanaki, who is Iran’s new Assistant Minister and Director General for South Asian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, said in turn that after the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Kabul, a new chapter in bilateral relations has opened up.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appointed Bahrami Taqanaki, a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience in regional affairs, to the post in February.
Bahrami Taqanaki has served two terms as Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan. He also held key consular positions, serving as Iran’s Consul General in Jalalabad during the Islamic Emirate’s previous rule and in Kandahar in 2002.
Latest News
IEA clarifies annual payout for victims of Afghanistan’s 20-year war
Mujahid said that last year, 12.5 billion afghanis was budgeted and distributed to support these people.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has clarified reports of an annual payout for families of war victims saying the money is for the families of mostly all victims who died during the war with the United States.
Mujahid said the annual payout of 12.5 billion afghanis (AFN) was not only for the families of deceased IEA fighters but also for the families of deceased security force members from the former government, as well as orphans and widows of civilians killed, and disabled people.
Mujahid said that last year, 12.5 billion afghanis was budgeted and distributed to support these people.
This comes after a number of media outlets published reports over the past two days of an interview with Zabihullah Mujahid. The reports stated that 12 billion afghanis has been allocated annually to the families of the Islamic Emirate’s fallen soldiers, who died during the 20-year war.
International Sports
IPL 2025: Sunday’s KKR vs LSG match pushed out to Tuesday
Sunday will now be a single-header match day, opposed to the usual double-header schedule.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BBCI) announced Wednesday that Match 19 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has been rescheduled and will be played on Tuesday, April 8 at 2:30 pm Kabul time.
The match was originally scheduled to take place this Sunday, April 6.
Sunday will now be a single-header match day, opposed to the usual double-header schedule. Sunrisers Hyderabad will play Gujarat Titans at 6 pm Kabul time as originally scheduled.
However, two matches will be played on Tuesday, April 8. First up will be KKR vs LSG, followed by the Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings.
Wednesday’s match
Wednesday, April 2, saw Punjab Kings cruise to an 8-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants after a dominant all-round performance.
A disciplined bowling effort restricted LSG to 171/7 at home before PBKS chased it down in style.
Player-of-the-Match Prabhsimran Singh (69 off 34), skipper Shreyas Iyer (52* off 30), and Nehal Wadhera (43* off 25) powered the visitors to a flawless finish, keeping them unbeaten in the league.
This convincing win propelled PBKS to second place in the points table, boosting their confidence for the games ahead.
Thursday’s match
Today, Thursday April 3, will see Kolkata Knight Riders take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The match will start at 6 pm Kabul time. Once again, Ariana Television will broadcast this thrilling event live across Afghanistan.
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