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IEA rejects Russia’s claims of armed groups in Afghanistan posing regional threat
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Sunday rejected claims made Friday by the Russian defense minister that armed groups from Afghanistan pose a threat to the security of Central Asia.
According to a statement, the IEA said there was no truth in Sergei Shoigu’s comments made during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) meeting of defense ministers on Friday.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan not only maintains security and stability in Afghanistan after years of war, but also considers security and stability in the region as a helper with its economy-oriented foreign policy and does not want security threats to exist in any way,” the IEA’s statement read.
The statement added that Russia’s authorities should be aware that, in the last two years, not only has Afghanistan not threatened the security of any country in the region or the world, but “the security forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have been able to fully and resolutely dispose of the remnants of the terrorist group of Daesh in Afghanistan.”
“The Islamic Emirate, as a responsible government, does not allow anyone to use the territory of Afghanistan against other countries and expects other countries, especially regional countries to stop their citizens who try to go to Afghanistan for destructive events,” the statement read.
The IEA claimed that some recent attacks were in fact carried out by foreign nationals from regional countries.
“Unfortunately, we have to say that some of the recent incidents of insecurity in Afghanistan have been committed by the citizens of some countries in the region,” the statement said.
The statement comes after Shoigu said at the meeting in New Delhi that the existence of some terrorist groups in Afghanistan are the main threat to neighboring countries, especially Central Asia.
Speaking at the meeting, Shoigu noted that the topic of Afghanistan must be kept on the SCO’s agenda.
“At the same time, numerous radical extremist groups entrenched in the territory of Afghanistan pose the main threat, promoting their ideas and efforts in neighboring republics. To our mind, the topic of Afghanistan must be kept on the agenda of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Only comprehensive international and regional assistance can facilitate measures to overcome challenges Afghanistan faces alone,” Shoigu said.
India, which hosted the meeting, asked the members of the SCO to jointly fight against terrorism in the region.
At the end of the meeting, the SCO's member nations signed a resolution reaffirming their common commitment to promoting regional security, peace, and prosperity.
The SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting was held in New Delhi and was attended by defense ministers of China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and a number of observer members.
Eight Afghan migrants died after a speedboat carrying migrants capsized off Greece's eastern island of Rhodes on Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Greek authorities said that the capsizing was the result of the boat’s maneuvering to evade a patrol vessel.
A total of 18 migrants — 12 men, three women and three minors — all Afghan nationals, were rescued, Greece's coast guard said Saturday. The dead were also from Afghanistan, it said.
Some migrants remained hospitalized, with one in critical condition, authorities said.
Two Turkish citizens, ages 23 and 19, were arrested as the suspected traffickers. The boat sank after capsizing, the coast guard said.
The sinking off Rhodes was the second deadly incident involving migrants in the past week.
Seven migrants were killed and dozens were believed missing after a boat partially sank south of the island of Crete over the weekend — one of four rescue operations during which more than 200 migrants were rescued.
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Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires meets with IEA deputy foreign minister
Welcoming the diplomat’s visit to Kabul, Stanikzai underscored the importance of political relations between Afghanistan and Norway, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan, Per Albert Ilsaas, on Saturday met with IEA’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai, in Kabul.
Welcoming the diplomat’s visit to Kabul, Stanikzai underscored the importance of political relations between Afghanistan and Norway, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
In addition to focusing on bilateral political, humanitarian, and other pertinent issues, the two sides expressed hope that continued engagement would lead to constructive solutions to related issues.
This comes two weeks after the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi expressed disappointment regarding the decision by the Norwegian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Balkhi said in a post on X that such decisions should not be linked with internal affairs of other countries.
“Diplomatic engagement is most effective when it fosters mutual understanding and respect, even amidst differing viewpoints,” he stated.
“Access to consular services is a fundamental right of all nationals. We strongly urge all parties to prioritize this principle in the spirit of international cooperation,” he added.
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A new polio vaccination campaign is set to launch in Afghanistan
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.
The “Afghanistan Polio-Free” organization announced that a new round of polio vaccinations will begin on Monday, December 23, in various provinces of Afghanistan.
The organization did not specify which provinces will be targeted or how long the vaccination campaign will last.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.
On December 4, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement reporting a 283% increase in polio cases in Afghanistan. According to the WHO, the number of positive environmental samples for wild poliovirus type 1 in Afghanistan in 2024 reached 84, compared to 62 cases in 2023.
The Ministry of Public Health claimed in November 2024 that no new cases of polio had been reported in Afghanistan for the year.
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