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‘My Heart Breaks for Taliban, They Are Afghans’ – Ghani
Following the reports of high number of casualties to government forces in the ongoing conflict, President Ashraf Ghani says his heart not only breaks for the Afghan military forces but also for the Taliban fighters who are engaged in 17-year-old battle in his war-weary country.
"The worst part of my job is early morning, I get my first security briefing and I get the casualty figures. It is not just that my heart breaks for our security forces who are true heroes but also for Taliban; they are Afghans and I am the president of all Afghanistan," Ghani said in an interview with VICE News on Thursday (Sept. 13).
Some political commentators said that comparing the security forces to the Taliban is a "mistake". "The president probably made the remarks in order to build trust in process of paece talks [with the Taliban]," said a political analyst Mohammad Yaqub Watanmal.
Referring to the Taliban's last month's major attack in strategic province of Ghazni that lasted several days, Ghani stressed that when they have received the correct information, the security forces have recovered the province within 12 hours.
"The first 72 hours, the right information didn't come, it was failure of intelligence," he told VICE News. "The minute the right intelligence came, within 12 hours we recovered the city."
Despite of growing security issues in parts of the country along with political issues around elections and peace process, Ghani said that the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan to win the war against the Taliban is working.
“For the first time, the possibility of peace is really at hand," Ghani said.
The president insisted that there is reason to believe that this time will be different, pointing to the Eid al-Fitr ceasefire between government forces and Taliban as a proof that the country is moving forward towards peace.
“The ceasefire showed that this country is ready for reconciliation,” Ghani said. “We are offering to overcome the past grievances and move forward and this I think is genuine because if they insist on a military victory that’s something the Afghans will not accept.”
In part of his speech, he also warned that if U.S. troops were to withdraw, the country would become a breeding ground for terrorism.
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Afghanistan gradually standing on its feet: IEA spokesman
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says they are working to strengthen Afghanistan's economy through the implementation of major projects, and the country is gradually becoming self-sufficient.
Mujahid stated that the start of projects like TAPI, Trans-Afghan, and CASA-1000 will create many good job opportunities.
“In general, other projects that have been planned are also being implemented. The CASA-1000 project will begin soon, and the Qosh Tepa project and other projects are already in progress,” said Mujahid.
"Gradually, Afghanistan is standing on its feet, and good job opportunities will be available for Afghans, which will have a positive impact on Afghanistan's economy,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, some members of the private sector have stated that economic development will be difficult unless the country solves its electricity production problem.
They believe that if the government expands electricity production, investments in various sectors will increase, and the unemployment rate will decrease.
Sakhi Ahmad Payman, the first deputy of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, stated, "Distribution of land and energy for industrialists is one of our work priorities. It will be very beneficial and effective for sustainable employment and advancing Afghanistan's industry."
On the other hand, experts believe that Afghanistan has good potential in electricity production, and if the IEA can attract more investments in this area, the electricity shortage problem will be permanently solved, leading to significant growth in all sectors of the country's economy.
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Twelve media outlets closed in Afghanistan in 2024: RSF
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has closed 12 media outlets – both public and private – in seven provinces this year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said.
Eleven television stations and one radio station have been forced to completely cease their activities, while three radio stations were closed temporarily before they were allowed to resume operations on the condition that they agreed to stop broadcasting music, RSF said in a statement.
"The ideological hardening of the Taliban (IEA) in recent months has accelerated repression and increased threats against media outlets in Afghanistan. The proliferation of bans on images of living beings in certain provinces, in particular, has led to a series of closures of television stations,” said Célia Mercier, head of RSF's South Asia Desk.
She called for the unconditional reopening of all silenced media outlets, so they can continue their mission of informing the people in complete freedom.
The Islamic Emirate says it has shut media outlets serving banned political parties, and some outlets have stopped operating due to economic problems.
Earlier, Political Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai also said that the Islamic Emirate should allow media to operate freely.
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Afghanistan needs both male and female doctors: army chief
Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Chief of the Army Staff of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said that studying medicine is necessary as people need both male and female doctors.
Fitrat said this in a conference at the Armed Forces Academy of Medical Sciences in Kabul.
The statement comes amid reports that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has decided to close medical institutes to girls across the country.
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