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Southern provinces witness intense battles as Taliban pushes for more ground

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Helmand, Kandahar and Herat have been hit hard these past few days by intense battles between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban, officials confirmed.

One of the hardest hit has been Herat, which has witnessed two days of solid fighting around the city itself, while heavy attacks have been launched on villages to the west of the city.

As fighting continued to rage Sunday night, officials said clashes were ongoing but had intensified in the west of the city.

Officials said in the past 24 hours, at least 30 people were wounded in the battles. This included soldiers and civilians.

Doctors at the Herat Hospital said the bodies of five people had been brought into the facility.

Provincial officials said more than a dozen Taliban fighters had been killed in clashes during the course of Sunday, including a prominent commander named Sadam.

According to the officials, the Taliban launched the attacks on the city from the western districts of Herat, mostly from Ghoryan and Zinda Jan districts.

Kandahar meanwhile also witnessed heavy fighting but security officials said Taliban attacks in Takhta Pul district were repulsed by security forces and air support.

Officials said the Taliban attacked at around 2 am Monday in the Mel area between Takhta Pul and Spin Boldak districts.

Hashem Regwal, district police chief, said 37 Taliban had been killed and three Humvee tanks had been seized from the Taliban.

The Taliban have not yet commented.

Sources meanwhile said US warplanes were used to push back the Taliban and targeted and destroyed a Taliban artillery facility in the center of Panjwai district.

US forces have not yet commented.

In Helmand, sources said that the provincial governor's office, police headquarters, NDS office, and PD1 police station in the city are under siege by the Taliban.

Mohammad Jami, a Helmand civil activist, stated: “situation is very critical in Helmand, Taliban have attacked the Police Command, Governor's office, NDS office, and Helmand prison.”

Meanwhile, the 215th Maiwand Military Corps said a Taliban offensive on Lashkargah prison was repulsed.

The corps said a group of at least 40 Taliban launched an offensive on the city’s prison on Sunday night but that the group was taken down by security forces.

According to the corps, 38 Taliban were killed in the clash and two others were wounded.

The Ministry of Defense also said the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), with the support of the air force, targeted the Taliban on Sunday night in a joint operation in Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province.

At least 36 Taliban were killed and 19 others were wounded in this operation, the MoD said.

The ministry said that three vehicles, one of which contained three million Pakistani rupees, were destroyed in the airstrike.

The Taliban have confirmed the clashes in Lashkargah, but said their fighters are advancing.

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U.S. House approves bill on evacuation of Afghan allies

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The U.S. House Of Representatives has passed a legislation on evacuation of Afghans who assisted Americans during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

“The passage of the CARE Authorization Act of 2024 further underscores the commitment made by the U.S. government to safeguard those who served shoulder-to-shoulder with our personnel during the twenty-year mission in Afghanistan,” Congresswoman Dina Titus said in a statement.

“The State Department has made it clear: There is no deadline for the crucial job of protecting Afghan allies. By authorizing the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts at the State Department, we can more effectively relocate and resettle those who have qualified to immigrate to the U.S. as a result of their service to this country.”

In 2022 the State Department established a specialized office called the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) to streamline and coordinate the ongoing relocation and resettlement process for eligible Afghans from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the United States.

The CARE Authorization Act of 2024 will formally authorize the CARE office at the State Department for three years and grant important authorities to advance its mission. These include an extension of authorities to enter into personal services contracts as well as measures to streamline the transfer of funds to and from other agencies involved in the Afghan relocation mission.

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Mujahid says IEA stands with media outlets

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The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says the acting government is committed to supporting media outlets and they can operate within the framework of Islamic Sharia and national interests.

Marking World Television Day on Thursday, November 21, Mujahid said: “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports the media in general. Media can operate within the framework of Islamic Sharia and national interests.”

“As far as we are able, we cooperate with the media and the Afghan media currently have publications and they are broadcasting their publications well,” he added.

The United Nations General Assembly named November 21 as World Television Day in 1996.

“Since IEA’s takeover, of 184 national and local televisions, 57 television stations were shut down due to economic problems,” said Hojatullah Mujadadi, the head of Afghanistan Free Journalists' Association (AFJU).

Currently, about 370 visual, audio and print media are active in the country.

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Baradar says water crisis has negatively impacted relations between nations

Baradar expressed regret that although Afghanistan has vast water resources, effective and professional management has not been carried out in this area.

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Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said on Thursday that the ongoing water crisis in the country has not only made neighboring countries face the problem of water scarcity, but it has also had a negative impact on political and economic relations between Afghanistan and these countries.

Speaking at a seminar held by the Ministry of Energy and Water, Baradar said that although water is a renewable natural resource, the shortage of water due to climate change, the increase in the level of water pollution, the growing demand of the people and its excessive consumption affects the country.

He expressed regret that although Afghanistan has vast water resources, effective and professional management has not been carried out in this area.

“It is now the responsibility of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to fulfill its national duty for the optimal management of the country’s water resource,” Baradar said.

“With firm determination, we aim to use all available means to ensure sustainable development in water management.”

Last month, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) also warned that Afghanistan is experiencing a severe water crisis, and if no action is taken, Kabul’s underground water resources could be depleted by 2030.

In a message on X, UNICEF reported that Roza Otunbayeva, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and Tajudeen Oyewale, head of UNICEF Afghanistan, visited a Kabul district to assess the city's water supply network.

Both officials expressed concern over the worsening water shortage problem in the capital.

"Water is life," UNICEF stated, emphasizing that rapid urbanization and climate change are accelerating the depletion of groundwater in Kabul.

“If we don't act now, we cannot stop this process."

The rapid population growth, unplanned construction of high-rise buildings, urban development without proper planning, and the excessive use of underground water resources are major factors contributing to the decline in both the quantity and quality of groundwater in Kabul.

Although Kabul has faced water shortages for years, the crisis has become more severe in recent times.

However, the Islamic Emirate is making concerted efforts to resolve the problem and thwart the crisis.

Three weeks ago, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, said in a statement that plans to construct a total of 355 water reservoirs across the country were being implemented.

According to the statement, of the 355 dams, a number of them have already been completed and inaugurated while others are under construction.

Of these reservoirs, 138 are being constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock; 117 by the Ministry of Water and Energy; and 100 by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.

All of these dams are being funded by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the statement read.

The reservoirs are being constructed in numerous provinces to manage rainwater, prevent flooding, strengthen groundwater levels and for use by communities.

Iran’s water share

Late last year, Iranian Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian warned that if Afghanistan does not ensure Tehran receives its rightful amount of water from Helmand River, Iran will use legal and international means to resolve the problem.

Mehrabian stressed that Helmand River water is Iran's indisputable right, and that Iran takes the matter seriously.

“Water right is Iran's right and it is necessary to release it. Ensuring water rights is not optional, but it is mandatory based on the international treaty of 1351. Pursuing this matter is Iran's absolute right and we will not fail in this regard. The recent rains should cause the release of our water, and if not, we will take serious action based on international laws,” stressed Mehrabian.

At the time, the Islamic Emirate said it was committed to providing Iran with water from the Helmand River but due to drought, there is not enough water in the river to give Iran its share.

The Helmand River Water Treaty was signed between Afghanistan and Iran in 1973, according to which Iran has the right to receive 850 million cubic meters of water from Afghanistan annually.

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