Latest News
New Balkh Police Chief Takes Charge Despite Noor’s Opposition
General Abdul Raqib Mubariz took office as the new police chief of the northern Balkh province on Thursday despite strong opposition by former provincial governor Atta Mohammad Noor.
Mubariz was surrounded by commando forces who were deployed to have the situation under control after armed forces loyal to former Balkh governor Noor resisting the appointment of new police chief for the northern province.
After taking office, Mubariz said he was appointed to the post based on a presidential decree and that anyone who will take a hostile approach towards the system and government will face the response.
He said the security situation in Balkh is normal.
Hours before the gunfire and widespread shooting in Mazar-e-City against new Balkh police chief, Noor had called upon on all residents of the city to stay indoor and close their shops and markets “until further notice”.
He said the Presidential Palace has been “hatching plots” against them.
Earlier, Khoshal Sadat, senior deputy interior minister for security affairs in a Twitter post said that considering the “worsening security situation” in Balkh province, the president has appointed Abdul Raqib Mubariz as new provincial police chief.
“Unfortunately his predecessor Akram Sami is not willing to leave his post & accept the new appointment,” he said.
Reactions to Balkh Tensions
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass reacted to the violence in Balkh which began early in the day over the appointment of new provincial police chief.
Expressing “great” concerns over the tensions in Balkh, UNAMA called on all parties to “deescalate” tensions “immediately” and find a non-violent solution to the issue and “prioritize the safety and security of the city’s residents.”
U.S. envoy Bass, meanwhile, in a series of tweets said: “Green on green violence is unacceptable. The only ones who benefit from this violence are the Taliban.”
“The United States calls for calm in Mazar, Balkh, and surrounding areas. Afghan security forces are tasked with protecting the Afghan people, not fighting each other over political disputes, ” he tweeted.
Bass also called on all involved parties to “quickly and peacefully resolve this dispute in a way that gives Afghan citizens confidence in their leadership and strengthens security. Asserting authority by force of arms takes Afghanistan’s democracy backwards.”
“We call on leaders to tell military and police forces to stand down, and for political leaders on both sides of this dispute to put the Afghan people first,” he added.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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