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Ghani calls on Taliban to join talks as ‘all obstacles removed’
President Ashraf Ghani said Thursday that the Afghan government has removed obstacles on the path to peace, and called on the Taliban to call a permanent ceasefire and sit around the negotiating table with the Afghan government.
In a video message to the Afghan security forces on the occasion of Afghanistan’s 101st independence anniversary, Ghan said a “fair and enduring” peace is due to come in the country as the government has made a huge effort to bring peace to Afghanistan.
“We have opened the way for a fair peace. In this regard we have not only shown our will and commitment but also we have taken practical steps toward achieving that; Taliban prisoners release and conveying consultative peace Loya Jirga are notable instances of our efforts,” Ghani said.
“We yearn for peace in which our youth engaged in building their country. We will bring a peace that all ethnicities of Afghanistan could live together in peace and security and strive for the excellence and progress of the country.”
Meanwhile, the Afghan peace process seems to have stalled once again as the government on Wednesday suspended the controversial release process of 320 “hard-core” Taliban prisoners, a process which has been a stumbling block in the peace talks process over the past few months.
Sediq Sediqqi, the Presidential spokesman, told Ariana News that the government will not release the remaining Taliban prisoners unless the group frees 22 Afghan security force members they are holding captive.
This comes after the government released 80, of what was initially a group of 400 prisoners, from Pul-e Charkhi prison in Kabul following a presidential decree to pardon and release them.
Last Monday’s decree, signed by President Ashraf Ghani, was the result of a Loya Jirga, or grand council, which voted in favor of the insurgents’ release following two days of consultations.
The process has however raised concerns and Australia and France have also publicly called on the government to not release all 320 prisoners – some of whom are guilty of having killed their nationals.
Meanwhile, reliable sources from the Afghan government Wednesday told Ariana News that the process would be suspended until the United States has reached an agreement over six of the Taliban prisoners involved in insider attacks, the so-called green-on-blue attacks, with Australia and France.
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Afghanistan and Uzbekistan FMs discuss bilateral ties and regional cooperation in phone call
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, held a telephone conversation with Bakhtiyor Saidov, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to review recent developments in bilateral relations and explore opportunities for regional cooperation.
During the call, both sides assessed the progress of Afghanistan-Uzbekistan relations and discussed avenues for strengthening political, economic, and diplomatic engagement.
Muttaqi extended greetings on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan and emphasized that Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, as neighboring and brotherly countries, share numerous common interests and opportunities in bilateral and regional affairs.
He stressed the importance of joint efforts to capitalize on these opportunities and expressed hope that consultations at senior and mid-level official levels, economic cooperation, and other collaborative initiatives would expand further this year.
Bakhtiyor Saidov welcomed the progress in relations between Kabul and Tashkent and highlighted Uzbekistan’s commitment to deepening engagement with Afghanistan. He also noted significant improvements in trade relations.
In addition, Saidov announced that feasibility studies for the Trans-Afghan Railway Project are expected to begin soon.
The ministers concluded the conversation with detailed discussions on regional developments, upcoming bilateral initiatives, and enhancing cooperation between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
Authorities in Nangarhar say the provincial Intelligence Directorate has intercepted a large cache of weapons and ammunition concealed inside a vehicle carrying returnees from Pakistan at the Torkham crossing.
According to Ghulam Rahman Haidari, the deputy governor of Nangarhar, intelligence forces recovered 525 weapons along with thousands of rounds of ammunition. He said the weapons had been “skillfully hidden” in different compartments of the vehicle.
Two individuals have been detained in connection with the discovery.
The seized cache includes 497 pistols, one Kalashnikov, 10 M4 rifles, and 17 ‘Titko’-type weapons, Haidari said.
The deputy governor described the incident as the work of “certain malicious groups” and emphasized that security forces will not allow the stability of the province to be undermined.
He added that, moving forward, no Pakistani vehicle will be permitted to travel beyond the Omari camp checkpoint, and returnees will be transported to their home areas by the Islamic Emirate at its own expense.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said on Sunday that the Pakistani military once again violated Afghanistan’s airspace by carrying out airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces.
In a statement, the Ministry said the strikes targeted a religious madrasa and several civilian homes, resulting in civilian casualties, including women and children.
The Ministry “strongly condemned” the airstrikes, calling them a clear breach of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty, as well as a violation of international law, Islamic principles, and the norms of neighborly relations.
The statement reaffirmed that safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and protecting its population are both religious obligations and national duties of Afghanistan’s defense forces. It warned that a “measured and appropriate response” would be taken at a suitable time.
The ministry also argued that attacks on civilian areas and religious institutions demonstrate what they described as failures in Pakistan’s intelligence and security apparatus, adding that such actions cannot conceal Islamabad’s internal shortcomings.
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