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No Pre-determined Timeline Governing U.S. Commitment to Afghanistan: Envoy
U.S. envoy in Kabul Hug Llorens has said there is no pre-determined timeline governing their commitment to Afghanistan.
In his remarks about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s travel to the region, Special Chargé d’Affaires LIorens said Tillerson after his discussion with President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah said, “We are here to stay until we can secure a process of reconciliation and peace.”
Tillerson traveled for the first time to South Asia to reaffirm and hold in-depth discussions on the U.S. South Asia strategy with senior officials.
LIorens said the Secretary believed that it was important to meet with Afghanistan’s leaders here in Afghanistan at the beginning of the trip.
In his excellent October 23 meeting with President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah at Bagram Airfield, the Secretary made clear that the United States is firmly committed to working with the government and people of Afghanistan to create conditions for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan free from terrorists, insurgents and the extremists who directly threaten the security of Afghanistan, the United States, and our partners entire world.
“This beautiful land, full of tremendous hope and promise, matters not just to the region, but also to the entire world.”
“The United States and our partners are committed to helping Afghanistan root out extremism and deny safe havens to terrorists.”
LIorens said the Secretary made clear that there are too many terrorist groups that find sanctuary and a safe place in Pakistan from which to conduct their nefarious operations and attacks against other countries.
The Secretary also pointed out that the terrorists operating out of Pakistan were growing in strength and capability and represented a direct threat to Afghanistan, all of the nations in the region, and Pakistan itself.
Tillerson also pointed out that their ultimate aim must to be to support peace between the National Unity government and those Taliban willing to reconcile.
“Such a peace settlement would be vital to the region’s long-term stability. In fact, Secretary Tillerson expressed interest in the Taliban bringing moderate voices to discuss peace and reconciliation with the Afghan government.”
” At the same time, he was unhesitant in his statement that those unwilling to come to the peace table and who continue committing terrorist acts will be dealt with harshly. “
Tillerson and Ghani in their meeting agreed that regional collaboration is critical to achieving a peaceful, stable, and prosperous future for Afghanistan.
President Ghani assured Secretary Tillerson that his government is firmly committed to implement reforms under the Afghanistan-U.S. Compact, including holding credible and inclusive parliamentary elections in 2018 and presidential elections in 2019.
According to LIorens, good governance and security are but two parts to the South Asia strategy, and of the Afghanistan-U.S. Compact. “Afghanistan is blessed with a bounty of resources.”
He said Afghan government must adopt market-based policies to attract private sector investment as the best and only viable means to create sustainable growth and create the jobs of the future for millions of Afghans.
“The United States and our partners will stand by the Afghan people in the fight against our enemies until the job gets done. We will also continue to build on the incredible progress Afghanistan has achieved in the last 16 years. I am confident that together, we can achieve a peaceful and sustainable future for Afghanistan and its people.”
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At least 1,500 families affected by recent floods: IRW
The Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) organization has reported that the rains and floods of the last week have claimed the lives of many Afghan and incurred huge financial losses.
According to the organization, a total of 1,500 families have suffered as a result of the recent floods and hundreds of livestock have also been lost.
IRW added that following the recent rains, 900 houses were partially or completely destroyed and 93,000 hectares of agricultural land was damaged.
This comes amid an ongoing economic crisis in Afghanistan which has left millions of people reliant on aid.
The disaster management ministry meanwhile confirmed earlier that 99 people died and 64 others were injured as a result of the heavy rains.
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Russia says US facing humiliation in Ukraine like in Vietnam and Afghanistan
Russia said on Sunday U.S. lawmakers’ support for $60.84 billion more in aid for Ukraine showed that Washington was wading much deeper into a hybrid war against Moscow that would end in humiliation on a par with the Vietnam or Afghanistan conflicts.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was clear that the United States wanted Ukraine “to fight to the last Ukrainian” including with attacks on Russian sovereign territory and civilians, Reuters reported.
“Washington’s deeper and deeper immersion in the hybrid war against Russia will turn into a loud and humiliating fiasco for United States such as Vietnam and Afghanistan,” Zakharova said.
Russia, she said, will give “an unconditional and resolute response” to the U.S. move to get more involved in the Ukraine war.
The United States lost more than 58,000 military personnel in the 1955-75 Vietnam War, which ended with Communist North Vietnam’s victory and takeover of the South, while hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed.
In the 2001-2021 war in Afghanistan, the U.S. reported 2,459 dead and over 20,000 wounded in the conflict which ended with the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces and return to power of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
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Iran says water is an important factor in expansion of ties with Afghanistan
Iran’s special representative for Afghanistan, Hasan Kazemi Qomi, said on Sunday that water is an important factor in the expansion of bilateral relations, expressing hope that the flow of water to his country will continue.
Qomi said this in a meeting with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, the ministry said in a statement.
The envoy expressed gratitude for removing obstacles to the flow of water from the Helmand River to Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran.
Meanwhile, Muttaqi noted that there were good rains in the country this year, as a result of which, after several years of severe drought, Helmand River’s water flowed to Nimroz province of Afghanistan and into Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran.
He assessed the relations between Afghanistan and Iran as “friendly and positive” and hoped relations will expand further in various fields.
During the meeting, Iran’s envoy also thanked the Islamic Emirate for its stance on Israel’s attacks on Gaza and for having condemned the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
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