Latest News
Hundreds of Daesh and Taliban prisoners on the run after prison siege
An Afghan MP on Tuesday claimed as many as 800 ISIS (Daesh) and Taliban prisoners are on the loose after escaping during Sunday’s deadly prison attack in Jalalabad.
Abdul Karim Karimi, a Member of Parliament, said: “1,700 prisoners were inside the jail during the attack, they all attempted to escape. Out of which, 500 of them failed to escape, whereas 800 more prisoners including Daesh, Taliban, and criminals fled.”
According to officials, prisoners being held in that particular jail were political prisoners and criminals. Among them were Taliban and Daesh militants.
The Nangarhar governor’s spokesman, Ataullah Khogyani, confirmed that hundreds of prisoners escaped but that the matter will be investigated in order to ascertain whether there was any negligence on the part of prison staff.
“So far, hundreds of prisoners including Daesh, Taliban, and other criminals are missing,” Khogyani said.
Local officials did not give details as to the identity of the missing prisoners but said search operations were underway in a bid to capture the escaped convicts.
Sources meanwhile added that out of five prisoners killed in Sunday’s attack, three of them were Taliban commanders.
Meanwhile, Daesh sent out letters overnight to residents of Jalalabad warning them not to hand over any CCTV footage they might have that recorded events outside their shops or houses during the time of the siege.
Sunday’s prison attack started with a car bomb just after 6.30pm and lasted for at least 18 hours before security forces were able to bring the situation under control.
Soon after militants stormed the facility, Daesh claimed responsibility. Officials said 11 Daesh militants had been involved.
While the siege was underway, security forces also raided a property in Behsoud district in Nangarhar and seized hundreds of weapons and military hardware.
The prison siege started just a day after Afghanistan’s intelligence services announced the Afghan special forces had killed a high-ranking Daesh member in an operation in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
A statement late Saturday by the National Directorate of Security said the slain militant was Assadullah Orakzai, an intelligence leader for the IS affiliate (Daesh) in Afghanistan. The statement said he was killed near Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province. IS has its headquarters in the province.
Orakzai was suspected of being involved in several deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets in Afghanistan.
A Qatari aircraft carrying medical aid and four ambulances touched down on Thursday at Kabul Airport.
The aid, provided by Qatar Fund for Development, was received by Deputy Minister of Public Health Bakht-ur-Rahman Sharafat and Qatar's Acting Chargé d'Affaires to Afghanistan Mirdef bin Ali Al Qashouti, Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement.
"This aid comes within the framework of the State of Qatar's efforts and its firm commitment to providing support and standing by the brotherly Afghan people, and providing them with their urgent and necessary needs," the statement said.
Afghanistan’s education officials have emphasized the importance of education in society and urged students to make an effort to increase their knowledge of modern sciences.
Speaking at an award ceremony following the national Science Star program, Alhaj Mawlawi Sakhaullah Saeed, Deputy Minister of Education, said students must “strive tirelessly to enrich their scientific knowledge”.
Education officials also pointed out that efforts for the development of modern sciences are ongoing by the Islamic Emirate. Officials said this was especially in line with the balance of military power in the world, which requires an understanding of modern sciences.
Officials emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the development of science education in the country.
On the Science Star program, officials discussed in detail the value and role of such competitions in terms of enhancing students’ scientific knowledge and self-confidence.
They assured students of the continuation of these programs and the preparation and provision of facilities for future contests.
A few months ago, the education ministry rolled out the scientific contest across all 34 provinces in the country to develop and identify talent across the country.
The results were recently announced at a grand ceremony attended by the deputy minister of education and other officials, along with the Education Advisor of the Turkish Embassy, and the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Iran.
The contest itself was run in all 34 provinces. The top student from each province then went through to a second round.
Six finalists were selected for the last round - and battled it out for the top three spots.
Winner of the Science Star this year was Samiullah, son of Mirza Mohammad from Herat province.
Second was Azizullah, son of Ramazan from Bamyan province, and third was Azmatullah, son of Bismillah from Kabul city.
The contest was organized by the education ministry in cooperation with and the financial support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC).
Meanwhile, Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister of Economy, who was also at the ceremony, said: “Contrary to the propaganda of the enemies, the Islamic Emirate pays special attention to the strengthening of educational centers.”
TIKA officials in turn said their organization continues to cooperate with Afghanistan in various sectors, especially in education.
“We have implemented hundreds of projects in different sectors in Afghanistan over the past twenty years.
“More than a hundred of the projects are in the education sector and we continue this cooperation,” said Fazil Akin Erdogan, head of TIKA.
Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, will visit Pakistan on Thursday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, Islamabad said.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zahra Baloch, told a press briefing that Kabulov will meet with Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch and hold detailed discussions with Additional Foreign Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia) Ahmad Naseem Warraich.
“The two sides will review the situation in Afghanistan, and discuss the role of neighboring countries in promoting regional peace and stability,” Baloch said.
Qatari aircraft carrying medical aid arrives in Kabul
Tahawol: Transfer of 1,000 Afghan prisoners from Iran to Kabul discussed
Education ministry officials encourage Afghan students to study modern sciences
Saar: Calls for complete implementation of Doha Agreement discussed
Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan to visit Pakistan
Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce leaves for Kazakhstan
Afghanistan produces its own buses for urban transportation
China to offer Afghanistan tariff-free trade
Hezbollah says it will escalate war with Israel after Hamas leader killed
Iranian forces accused of killing over 250 Afghan migrants at border
Tahawol: Transfer of 1,000 Afghan prisoners from Iran to Kabul discussed
Saar: Calls for complete implementation of Doha Agreement discussed
Tahawol: NATO’s concern over proximity of Russia & North Korea discussed
Tahawol: IEA’s diplomatic progress discussed
Saar: Obstacles and opportunities for IEA’s recognition
-
Sport3 days agoGurbaz ton guides Afghanistan to seal ODI series over Bangladesh
-
World4 days agoTrump, Putin speak as Biden plans to lobby Trump to stick with Ukraine
-
Latest News4 days agoAfghanistan’s de facto consulate in Mumbai starts issuing passports
-
Latest News4 days agoMalala Yousafzai calls for global support for women in Afghanistan
-
Latest News5 days agoMore than 300 Afghans deported from Turkey in past two days
-
Saar4 days agoSaar: Obstacles and opportunities for IEA’s recognition
-
Regional4 days agoNetanyahu claims he and Trump see ‘eye to eye’ on Iran after holding 3 calls within days
-
Tahawol4 days agoTahawol: IEA’s claim on world’s security concerns discussed