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Khalilzad says first phase of US-Taliban agreement completed

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(Last Updated On: October 25, 2022)

The United States said that it has implemented the first phase of the US-Taliban agreement which was inked in Doha, the capital of Qatar.  

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said the US and Taliban have reached day 135, “a key milestone in implementation of the US-Taliban Agreement.”

“The U.S. has worked hard to carry out the 1st phase of its commitments under the Agreement, including to reduce forces and depart five bases,” Khalilzad said.

He added that NATO troops in Afghanistan have been downed in “proportional number.”

Although, the first of the agreement was completed the Taliban and the Afghan government yet to remove obstacles – including prisoner releases and reducing violence – ahead of the intra-Afghan talks, where the two sides would sit in direct talks to discuss further steps including a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire.

Khalilzad said that there has been major progress in this regard, “albeit slow, on prisoner releases.”

“And violence has been high, especially in recent days and weeks. Afghans continue to die in large numbers for no reason,” the US Envoy noted. 

It comes as the Taliban militant group attacked an office of the Afghan National Directorate of Security in Aybak city of Samangan province, killing or wounded dozens of civilians that Afghan forces.

Khalilzad has condemned the attack saying that it was contradicted their commitment to reducing violence until a permanent ceasefire is reached in intra-Afghan talks.

“We condemn today’s attack. The use of major explosives to detonate a vehicle in a provincial capital is unacceptable and will strengthen those who oppose peace and plays into the hands of spoilers. All sides must reduce violence,” he tweeted.

Khalilzad said that the US is seeking to implement the next of the Doha agreement, “our approach will remain conditions-based.” 

The United States will press for “completion of prisoner releases, reduction of violence, complete delivery on CT commitments and start of and progress in intra-Afghan negotiations.”

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Dozens of needy families in west Kabul receive Bayat’s Ramadan aid

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(Last Updated On: March 19, 2024)

Dozens of needy families in the western suburbs of Kabul have been given much needed food aid for Ramadan by Bayat Foundation.

Foundation officials said the campaign is conducted during the holy month of Ramadan in order to help those in need.

The aid packages include essential food items such as flour and oil.

Residents in the west of Kabul, who received the packages, welcomed Bayat Foundation’s initiative but appealed for more assistance from other organizations.

Bayat Foundation is considered to be a key charitable organization in the country and has done valuable work in the past twenty years. The foundation has assisted victims of natural disasters, implemented public benefit projects, and helped the needy in different seasons.

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1402, a difficult year for Afghan women and girls

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(Last Updated On: March 19, 2024)

As this solar year, 1402 draws to a close, the suspension of high school and higher education for girls continues, despite repeated calls to the Afghan government to reconsider this decision.

This year, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials repeatedly said they plan to reopen schools above grade 6, and universities, to girls – once plans were finalized. However, nothing has come of this.

In many meetings, both in Afghanistan and outside the country, repeated requests were made to the IEA to provide education for everyone – and some officials of the Islamic Emirate even expressed their dissatisfaction over the decision.

Representatives of the United Nations and countries of the world have repeatedly emphasized that the right to education should be given to women and girls, but these requests were not accepted by the Islamic Emirate.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: “Supporting the rights of women and girls is a central part of our foreign policy. Over the past three years, we have put forward concrete strategies, policies and programs to support women and girls around the world. It’s not just rhetoric, it’s action.”

Spokespersons of the Islamic Emirate said many times in interviews with the media that schools and universities for girls would reopen. However, they did not say when the wait for girls would end.

Now, almost three years after schools, above grade 6, were closed to girls, the hope is that in the new academic year there will be changes in the policy of the Islamic Emirate and the school bell will ring with a good news for girls.

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US urges Pakistan to exercise restraint after airstrikes in Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: March 19, 2024)

The United States on Monday urged Pakistan to exercise restraint in its counter-terrorist offensive in Afghanistan.

Addressing a press conference, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre called on both sides to address differences through dialogue.

This came after Islamabad carried out airstrikes early Monday on what they claim were Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Khost and Paktia provinces in Afghanistan.

The Islamic Emirate in turn responded and said they targeted Pakistan’s military posts along the Durand Line.

Jean-Pierre meanwhile said: “We are aware of the reports, obviously, that Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan in response to an attack in Pakistan on Saturday at a military post. We deeply regret the loss of life and injuries sustained during the attack in Pakistan and the loss of civilian lives during the strikes in Afghanistan.”

“We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil. We urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts. We urge both sides to address any differences through dialogue. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our other partners or allies,” she continued.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday said “intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations” were carried out inside the border regions of Afghanistan, hours after Kabul said airstrikes conducted on its soil had killed eight people.

The dead included five women and three children in the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said Monday the attack was a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) does not allow anyone to compromise security by using Afghan territory,” he said in a statement.

While Pakistan blames Afghanistan for sheltering the TTP responsible for the rise of such attacks, the ruling Taliban has denied these allegations.

In response to the Pakistani military’s air strikes the IEA claimed it carried out attacks on “Pakistani military centers with heavy weapons” and warned Islamabad of repercussions.

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