Supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, congratulated the Afghan people on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr, calling on them to be strong in their beliefs and not to follow the path of Satan.

In his Eid message, released on Thursday, Mawlawi Hibatullah stated, “Dear Muslim brothers! let us renew our commitment to Allah, the Almighty, and strengthen our resolve to avoid His disobedience and not follow the path of Satan.”

He asked Afghans to thankful to Almighty Allah for security across the country.

“There was a time when on this very day, the funerals of our Afghan brothers were carried out, bombs fell upon us, our homes were searched, and we were dragged into prisons. But now, thanks to Allah, this day has transformed into one of peace and security,” he said.

IEA’s supreme leader reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s resolve to implement Shariah law, instructing courts to ensure judicial rulings adhere strictly to Islamic laws. The message again reiterated that implementing Shariah was a fundamental objective of the Islamic Emirate’s jihad and sacrifices.

On education, Mawlawi Hibatullah said that the educational institutions are tasked with giving serious attention to the correction of beliefs and actions across all educational sectors, aligning their curricula with Sharia, and providing proper training and education to the youth.

Additionally, he cautioned against “harmful propaganda spread by hostile intelligence agencies, who seek to sow despair or create unnecessary concerns about poverty and economic challenges.”

“The Islamic Emirate, with the help of Allah Almighty, is doing all it can to improve your lives.”

Condemnation of Israeli Attacks on Palestine

The IEA leader also strongly condemned the Israeli military strikes against the “oppressed and defenseless” Palestinians as a “great injustice and barbarity.”

“We support the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people and urge the rest of the Islamic world to, as much as possible, support the Palestinians, so they can regain their usurped rights, be freed from the oppression and aggression of the Zionist regime, and put an end to the ongoing atrocities and injustice there,” he said.

Europe should enhance stockpiling of critical equipment and encourage the public to maintain sufficient supplies for at least 72 hours in case of emergencies, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

The Commission said in its new EU Preparedness Union Strategy that the bloc was preparing for risks including natural disasters, cyber attacks and geopolitical crises, including the possibility of armed aggression against EU countries, Reuters reported.

“Families living in flood zones should know what to do when the waters rise. Early warning systems can prevent regions hit by wildfires from losing precious time,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

The strategy focuses on improving early warning systems, ensuring the continuity of essential services such as healthcare and drinking water and helping citizens prepare for responding to crises.

Hadja Lahbib, the European commissioner in charge of preparedness and crisis management, said that concerns differed across the bloc but that all citizens should make an effort to be prepared for emergencies.

“Ready for anything – this must be our new European way of life,” she said in a post on X.

The Commission would now “develop guidelines to reach a population self-sufficiency of minimum 72 hours”, according to the new strategy’s action plan.

In a video posted on social media, Lahbib listed items important to have to survive 72 hours in a crisis, from food and water to a flashlight, power bank, radio, cash and medication, read the report.

Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Resources, Shavkat Khamraev, says Afghanistan receives its share of water from the Amu River through the construction of the Qosh Tepa Canal, and that Tashkent has no problem with this.

Khamraev stated that Afghanistan has a legitimate right to access the water of the Amu River and urged his citizens not to be influenced by rumors or incorrect information.

“The Afghans are our relatives. They also have the right to take water from the Amu River. Should we pick up weapons and fight? No, we are building better relations,” said Khamraev.

Amu River is one of the most important water sources in the northern region of the country, and the countries of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have been utilizing it for many years.

However, Afghanistan has not used this water for many years, and now the Islamic Emirate wants to secure its share by completing the Qosh Tepa Canal.

Qosh Tepa Canal is over 280 kilometers long, and once completed, it will irrigate 1.2 million hectares of land in the provinces of Balkh, Jowzjan, and Faryab.

Experts have stated that with the completion of this canal and investment in it, Afghanistan will achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production.