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NATO says allies will leave Afghanistan together
NATO said Thursday that its members would consult and decide on when to leave Afghanistan after US President Donald Trump asserted to bring all American forces home by Christmas.
Trump, who is seeking re-election on November 3, said on Twitter Wednesday: “We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!”
Addressing a joint press conference with President of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “We decided to go into Afghanistan together, we will make decisions on future adjustments together, and when the time is right, we will leave together.”
Stoltenberg stated that NATO’s decisions would be based on the conditions on the ground.
“Because we think it is extremely important to continue to be committed to the future of Afghanistan because it is in our interest to preserve the long-term security of Afghanistan,” he noted.
Stoltenberg highlighted that NATO is in Afghanistan to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists.
“Hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Europe, from Canada have served shoulder-to-shoulder with US soldiers in Afghanistan to prevent terrorists from once again controlling that country.”
“And we are committed to our mission in Afghanistan because it is in our security interest to make sure that Afghanistan does not once again become a platform where terrorists can plan, organize and conduct terrorist attacks on our own countries,” NATO Chief added.
Stoltenberg one again reiterated NATO’s support for the Afghan peace process.
“And as part of the peace effort, we have reduced our presence in Afghanistan. Not so long ago we had more than a hundred thousand troops in the big combat operation. And now we have roughly 12,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, and they support, they train, assist and advise the African security forces.”
This comes the US-brokered peace talks have been stalled about a week ago after the Afghan government and the Taliban delegations failed to reach an agreement over two sticking points.
According to the reports, the Taliban demand recognition of the US-Taliban deal as the base of the negotiations and Hanafi jurisprudence as the sole religious legal guidelines for the talks.
Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) officially introduced Al-Haj Mullah Abdul Haq Hamkar as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a special decree by the Islamic Emirate’s Supreme Leader Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including representatives from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, provincial authorities, national institutions, the former DABS CEO Abdul Bari Omar, and directors and staff of the company.
Speakers highlighted recent progress at DABS, efforts to improve transparency and services, and the company’s move from losses toward profitability. In his remarks, Hamkar emphasized the importance of orderly transfer of responsibilities, obedience to leadership, and expanding electricity services, noting the central role of power supply in daily life and economic development.
Amir Khan Mutaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on Tuesday in Kabul with Georgette Gagnon, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting covered the upcoming visit of Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, to Kabul, as well as the progress and upcoming meetings of the Doha Process working groups on counter-narcotics and private sector support, and other related issues.
The statement added that Muttaqi said the Islamic Emirate has made satisfactory progress in the Doha Process working groups, but opposing parties have yet to achieve significant results regarding alternative livelihoods and banking issues.
He emphasized that it is necessary for the relevant parties to take effective steps in these areas to enable progress in other sectors as well.
Gagnon referred to DiCarlo’s visit at the end of this month and called for cooperation in this regard.
She also evaluated the outcomes of previous sessions of the two Doha Process working groups positively and noted that further attention would be given to these matters.
The federal government has approved the re-export of all Afghan transit trade consignments stranded at Karachi and Gwadar ports, offering relief to traders affected by prolonged border closures.
According to Pakistani media, traders will be allowed to re-export their Afghan transit shipments through any Pakistani seaport of their choice.
Sources said the commerce minister has formally conveyed the decision to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The measure aims to ease congestion and address disruptions caused by the suspension of trade routes.
Pakistan had earlier closed the Torkham and Chaman crossings for commercial activity due to security concerns, halting transit trade between the two countries from October 12.
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