Connect with us

Latest News

US ‘deeply troubled’ by attacks on civilians as Taliban sweep across Afghanistan

Published

on

The United States said on Wednesday it was deeply troubled by reports of escalating attacks on civilians as the Taliban sweep across Afghanistan and Washington pulls out its last remaining troops and ends its longest war.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a visit to India, said the only path to peace in Afghanistan was through negotiations, which all parties must take seriously.

Taliban insurgents have captured districts across Afghanistan and seized vital border control points in recent weeks, as Washington withdraws its last troops after 20 years. The Pentagon now estimates that the fighters control more than half of Afghanistan's district centres.

The surge has raised the prospect that the militants could return to power. Millions of people fled their extreme violence during their last period of rule from 1996-2001, when they staged public executions of their foes, banned women from work and education and hosted Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.

The Taliban say they will treat civilians well if they return to power, and will not allow the country to be used as a base for international terrorism.

Describing reports of attacks on civilians as "deeply, deeply troubling", Blinken said: "An Afghanistan that commits atrocities against its own people would become a pariah state.

"There's only one path, and that's at the negotiating table, to resolve the conflict peacefully."

The United Nations reported this week that civilian casualties had been surging in recent weeks, with as many killed in May-June as in the previous four months. The report did not cover casualties in July, when fighting has intensified further.

Afghans in government-held areas have been alarmed by domestic media reports in recent days of abductions and killings of civilians in areas where the Taliban have advanced. The Taliban deny they are carrying out revenge killings.

U.S. President Joe Biden has ordered all U.S. troops out of the country, fulfilling a policy pledge made by his predecessor Donald Trump, despite warnings from American generals of the potential for renewed civil war without foreign troops to protect the Kabul government.

Peace talks between the government and the Taliban in Qatar have largely stalled, with the Taliban showing little interest in negotiating while they are gaining on the battlefield.

CHINA HOSTS TALIBAN DELEGATION

Taliban delegations have visited neighbouring countries in recent weeks, gaining international standing for a movement that had been treated as outcasts and banned as terrorists for most of the past two decades.

The latest regional power to host them was China, whose Foreign Minister Wang Yi met a nine-person delegation led by Taliban deputy leader Mullah Baradar Akhund in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin during a two-day visit.

Wang said the Taliban were expected to "play an important role in the process of peaceful reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan", according to a readout of the meeting from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Taliban delegations have also visited Iran and Russia in recent weeks. The group has an office in Qatar.

"Politics, economy and issues related to the security of both countries and the current situation of Afghanistan and the peace process were discussed in the meetings," Taliban spokesperson Mohammed Naeem tweeted about the China visit.

"(The) delegation assured China that they will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against China," Naeem said. "China also reiterated its commitment of continuation of their assistance with Afghans and said they will not interfere in Afghanistan's issues but will help to solve the problems and restoration of peace in the country."

Moscow, which fought for a decade in Afghanistan in the 1980s, said it was beefing up the combat capabilities at its military base in Tajikistan, a small former Soviet republic that borders Afghanistan.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, visiting Tajikistan on Wednesday, said the security situation had rapidly deteriorated in Afghanistan during a "hasty" U.S. withdrawal.

Shoigu said Islamic State fighters were moving into Afghanistan from countries including Syria and Libya, describing their arrival as "quite seriously organised".

"We are paying increased attention to strengthening the combat capabilities of our base and refining plans to jointly repel possible insurgent infiltration," he said.

A senior Russian diplomat has said Moscow views Taliban gains in northern Afghanistan as having a security upside because the group is hostile to what Russia regards as more dangerous Islamist extremists.

Russia is set to hold military drills on Aug. 5-10 near Tajikistan's Afghan border, involving more than 1,000 Russian soldiers as well as Uzbek and Tajik forces.

Latest News

Former Australian hostage in Afghanistan Timothy Weeks dies in Kabul

Published

on

Timothy Weeks, a 54-year-old English language teacher from Australia, who spent three and a half years in captivity in Afghanistan, died in Kabul on Wednesday.

Weeks, who converted to Islam and went by the name of Jibra’il Omar, was living in Kabul at the time of his death.

The Australian academic had been a lecturer at the American University in Kabul in 2016 when taken hostage by the Islamic Emirate along with an American colleague Kevin King.

He was held hostage for three years before being released in a prisoner swap in 2019.

The prisoner-swap deal saw the two men released in exchange for three Islamic Emirate prisoners, including Anas Haqqani.

According to a statement issued by the Islamic Emirate, Omar passed away in Kabul on Wednesday. He had been battling cancer for “a long time”, the statement read.

“He was captured by the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate in the past years, then he was released from prison during the exchange of prisoners, then he converted to the holy religion of Islam with his self-satisfaction and changed his name from Timothy Weeks to (Jabriel Omar),” the statement read.

“Jabriel Omar worked as an English teacher in Kabul. He was very fond of Afghanistan and the Islamic Emirate, and based on that he considered it best to live in Kabul,” the IEA said.

Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate’s ministry of interior, said on X that the “MoI of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expresses its deep sorrow over his death and expresses its condolences to his friends and relatives.”

Continue Reading

Latest News

India’s foreign secretary Misri meets with Afghanistan’s FM Muttaqi in Dubai

Published

on

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan in Dubai on Wednesday for talks on a number of issues.

According to a statement issued by India’s foreign ministry, the two diplomats discussed the need to strengthen bilateral ties and ongoing regional issues.

Misri reaffirmed India's long-standing friendship with the people of Afghanistan, and emphasized the strong people-to-people connections between the two nations.

Misri highlighted India's commitment to addressing Afghanistan's urgent developmental needs and extending humanitarian support.

The discussions also included an assessment of India's ongoing humanitarian assistance programs in Afghanistan.

Misri outlined India's contributions, which have included multiple shipments of critical aid such as 50,000 metric tons of wheat, 300 tons of medicines, and 27 tons of earthquake relief supplies. Other assistance provided by India includes 40,000 liters of pesticides, 100 million doses of polio vaccine, 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, hygiene kits for drug rehabilitation, winter clothing, and educational materials.

Muttaqi expressed his gratitude to India for its continued engagement and support to the Afghan people.

He acknowledged the positive impact of these humanitarian efforts and emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in the near future.

Both parties agreed to explore further developmental initiatives to complement the existing humanitarian programs.

India also agreed to provide additional support in the areas of health and refugee rehabilitation, as requested by Afghanistan. Furthermore, the two sides discussed enhancing sports cooperation, particularly in cricket, a sport that holds significant cultural value for Afghanistan’s youth.

The two ministers also explored ways to bolster economic and trade relations, particularly through the use of the Chabahar port. This strategic port, which connects India, Iran, and Afghanistan, is expected to facilitate smoother trade routes, including for the transport of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

In their discussions, the Afghan side reiterated its understanding of India's security concerns, acknowledging the importance of regional stability.

Both sides agreed to maintain regular communication and continue engagement at multiple levels to further deepen bilateral relations.

According to the statement, this high-level meeting underscores India's ongoing commitment to the people of Afghanistan, even amid challenging political and security circumstances, and highlights the continued importance of regional cooperation in South Asia.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Iran’s water rights issue resolved through understanding: Deputy PM Kabir

Published

on

The Political Deputy Prime Minister, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, who on Wednesday met with Ali Reza Bigdeli, Iran’s new ambassador to Kabul, said the issue of water rights between the two countries has been resolved through mutual understanding and irresponsible statements on this matter could negatively affect the relations between Kabul and Tehran, the deputy PM’s office said in a statement.

At the meeting, Kabir mentioned that there are no factors in Afghanistan that could damage the relations between Iran and the Islamic Emirate.

"Currently, the cultivation and trafficking of drugs in Afghanistan have decreased, and the issue of water rights between Afghanistan and Iran has been resolved through understanding,” said Kabir.

Based on the statement, the Iranian Ambassador has invited Abdul Kabir to visit Tehran.

Meanwhile, Bigdeli emphasized the development of relations and the increase of economic cooperation between the two countries, stating that the activation of the Chabahar Port and its inauguration are priorities.

Kabir added that the IEA is eager to develop economic and political cooperation with Iran.

He said: "The Islamic Emirate does not allow its relations with other countries to be affected by external factors, but Afghanistan is striving to achieve regional stability and economic power."

Kabir also stated that necessary facilities should be provided for Afghan migrants, and they should be treated with compassion. He called for the cessation of forced deportations of Afghan refugees.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Ariana News. All rights reserved!