The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL) says this year it purchases more wheat than needed from the farmers of 13 provinces and stores it in silos so that it can be used in times of emergency and to control the price in the markets.

“The Islamic Emirate buys extra wheat from farmers and stores it in silos to redistribute it in emergency situations and to control prices,” said Misbahuddin Mustaeen, a spokesperson for the ministry.

The private sector, meanwhile, considers this process effective to save farmers from the financial crisis and prevent the smuggling of goods from the country.

The members of the private sector stated that the expansion of this program in the whole country affects the improvement of Afghanistan’s economy.

“The performance of the Islamic Emirate in the past three years in the economic sectors, mining, supporting the Afghan industry in monetary stability and infrastructural projects is satisfactory,” said Sakhi Ahmad Payman, the first deputy of the Chamber of Industries and Mines.

Experts in the economic field, however, believe that this move provides the basis for the expansion of the country’s agriculture sector.

Kunduz, Takhar, Samangan, Herat, Badakhshan, Helmand, Kandahar, Farah, Balkh, Sarpul, Faryab, Nimroz and Badghis are among the provinces where wheat will be purchased.

The agriculture officials added they have plan to to expand the process of purchasing wheat from farmers and storing it in strategic reserves in the next year throughout the country.

UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Counter-terrorism Vladimir Voronkov on Thursday warned that the strength of Daesh’s Khorasan branch is increasing and that the group is capable of launching attacks beyond Afghanistan.

Speaking at the UN Security Council, Voronkov said that Daesh Khorasan has become “the greatest external terrorist threat” to Europe, and it is intensifying its efforts to recruit and enhance its capabilities.

He emphasized that the group has “improved its financial and logistical capabilities over the past six months, including by leveraging support from the Afghan and Central Asian diaspora” and has “intensified its recruitment efforts.”

Voronkov called on all UN member states to take unified action to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a breeding ground for terrorist activities. “It is imperative that Afghanistan does not once again become a hotbed of terrorist activity,” he said.

The Islamic Emirate, however, dismisses such concerns and once again emphasizes that Daesh has been suppressed in Afghanistan and no armed group is present in the country.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, says that the Islamic Emirate has fought against Daesh and regional countries should also do their part.

The United States raises the cases of three detained U.S. citizens in every engagement with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), and securing their release will remain a top priority, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday.

Addressing a press briefing, Miller expressed concern about the well-being of Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, saying they were unjustly detained. 

“We are deeply concerned about the well-being of Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan – Mahmood, Ryan and George Glezmann – and raise their detentions at every engagement we have with the Taliban (IEA),” Miller said at a press briefing, ahead of the two-year anniversary of Corbett and Habibi’s detention on Aug. 10.

“Bringing them home will continue to be a top priority for the United States as we work to obtain their release,” Miller said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Corbett’s wife, Anna, in Washington this week, Miller said.

The Islamic Emirate, has confirmed that two Americans are imprisoned in Afghanistan and that they have discussed prisoner exchange with US officials.