Latest News
MoI warns of intense winter offensive against Taliban to continue
Afghanistan Ministry of Interior (MoI) warns that an intense offensive with Taliban will continue in the winter season.
Yet, the wind is shifting dramatically in Afghanistan, spokesman of interior ministry says that vulnerable areas have been identified in the winter season and increasing combat operations are among the security forces’ plans in the cold season.
The ministry of interior affairs believes that the Taliban insurgents will launch their attacks from the beginning of snowing time in several parts of the country but they will not be safe from the barrage of attacks by Afghan security forces.
“The Interior Ministry considers preparing and training of Afghan troops for the next fighting season as one of its priorities,” said Sidiq Sidiqi, MoI spokesman.
Military analyst emphasized that the threat of a winter offensive must be taken seriously.
This comes as a top Taliban commander has pledged in a recorded interview to launch an intense winter campaign against NATO soldiers in Afghanistan.
Whatever, the Taliban’s recent spate of attacks suggests the traditional “summer offensive” has given way to an unprecedented “winter offensive”. The “summer offensive” of 2015 seems likely to be even more violent.
Since their resurgence earlier this year the Taliban have made steady progress towards Kabul from their heartland in the south-east around Kandahar, establishing a presence in Kundoz province.
They do not expect to capture the capital but aim to continue destabilizing the increasingly fragile Ashraf Ghani’s government.
A winter offensive breaks with tradition. ‘Usually all Afghans do in the winter is try and stay warm,’ said a Western military intelligence specialist in Kabul.
‘The coming months are likely to see intense fighting, suicide bombings and unmanned roadside bombs. That is a measure of how much the Taliban have changed.’
The Taliban remain a local phenomenon and are not believed to be in close liaison with the Egyptian-born associate Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Reported by Fawad Naseri
Latest News
Contract worth $53 million signed for construction of last section of Khaf–Herat railway
A contract worth $53 million was signed Thursday for the construction of the last section of Khaf-Herat railway that connects Afghanistan with Iran.
The contract was signed between Afghanistan Railway Authority and Gamma Group in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, his office said in a statement.
The segment is 47-kilometer long, stretching from Rabat Parian to Herat International Airport and the Industrial Town, according to the statement.
It added that completion and standard operational readiness are expected within approximately two years.
“Upon its completion, this segment will integrate the Khaf-Herat regional connectivity project with Iran’s significant seaports and facilitate access to Europe via the Turkish railway network,” the statement said.
“Furthermore, traversing Afghan territory, it will bolster commercial exchanges between Central and South Asia. Notably, this project’s realization will enable the expansion of railway networks into Farah, Nimruz, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces,” it added.
Gamma operates across Europe and Asia in multiple sectors including construction, renewable energy, power transmission, mining, railways among others.
Latest News
US urges IEA to fulfill counter-terrorism commitments
The US State Department said on Thursday that Washington is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism.
“We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism, and we continue to push the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) to fulfill all of their counterterrorism commitments to the international community,” the department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a news briefing in Washington.
He reiterated that the United States had clearly communicated to the IEA that it’s their responsibility to ensure that “they give no safe haven to terrorists, whether it be Al Qaeda or ISIS-K or any other terrorist organization”.
Miller also reassured US allies that Washington was closely watching the developments in Afghanistan and was ready to deal with any threat emerging from the region.
“We remain vigilant against the evolving threat of these terrorist groups, and our global coalition to defeat ISIS and the C5+1 help intensify our efforts to monitor terrorist threats from the region and prevent their ability to raise funds, travel, and spread propaganda,” he said.
C5+1 refers to a diplomatic platform involving the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the United States. It serves as a forum for discussing and addressing regional issues such as security, economic development, and cooperation.
“The United States remains vigilant against the evolving threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIS-K, and has maintained an unwavering focus on terrorism since President Joe Biden took office three years ago,” Miller said.
The US, he said, was “working both unilaterally and with its partners to successfully disrupt threats across the globe and degrade ISIS”.
“We will continue to work to hold ISIS accountable for its actions and to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western countries,” Miller said.
This comes as IEA has repeatedly said that it is committed to not allowing anyone to use Afghanistan soil against any other country.
Latest News
IEA condemns Israel for confiscating 800 hectares of land in West Bank’s Jordan Valley
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) strongly condemned on Thursday Israel’s decision to seize 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank’s Jordan Valley region.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that the recent actions by “the Zionist regime demonstrate that it does not to adhere to international laws, especially international humanitarian law.”
“Continuation of such unilateral actions and ignoring the rights of Palestinian people will further deteriorate the situation,” the statement said.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expects international actors, particularly influential regional Muslim countries to fulfill their legitimate, human and moral responsibilities in supporting the oppressed people of Palestine and prevent the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied territories,” it added.
Israeli media have reported that Israel seized 800 hectares of land in the Jordan Valley region of the occupied West Bank, claiming it as “state land.”
It is reported the seized land could be used for the construction of illegal Jewish settlements.
-
Sport4 days ago
Afghanistan beat Australia 5-4 in NSDF Futsal Championship
-
Sport4 days ago
IPL: Mumbai Indians fall short by just six runs in Gujarat match
-
Latest News5 days ago
Over 500 of Herat’s artifacts submitted to museum and archive
-
Latest News5 days ago
IPL: KKR’s Rana fined for breaching Code of Conduct
-
Regional3 days ago
Attackers target Pakistani naval airbase in Baluchistan
-
World4 days ago
Four killed, several injured as race car hits spectators at Hungary rally
-
Latest News4 days ago
Over 3 million national electronic ID cards distributed in 1402
-
Sport3 days ago
IPL: RCB register first win against Punjab Kings