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US-Taliban peace agreement signed, turning point in Afghanistan’s 18 years of war
The US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar signed the peace deal in the presence of more than 30 countries’ representatives on Saturday, February the 29th.
The agreement paves the way for a full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan starting with a drawdown to 8,600 troops “within months” upon President Trump’s orders, according to General Scott Miller, the top US commander in Afghanistan.
Also, the deal specifies that the Taliban will pledge to enter into talks with the Afghan government and not to harbor terrorist groups intent on attacking the West.
In the meantime in Kabul, Defense Secretary Mark Esper attended a ceremony with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
“Since the first day that Americans came, neither we wanted them to stay for centuries, nor they wanted that,” acting Afghan defense minister Asadullah Khalid said ahead of the ceremony in Kabul, adding that the departure of a “few thousand” US troops would not affect the security in Afghanistan.
In the aftermath of the US-Taliban agreement The Afghan government, ought to put a negotiating team together and exchange prisoners on a planned trend.
It is said that the Taliban have provided the US negotiators a list of some 5,000 prisoners imprisoned by the Afghan government. In return, the Taliban will have release 1,000 captives of the Afghan security forces.
“This is a test for the Americans,” said former senior Taliban official Abdul Salam Zaeef. “When this step is taken properly, then we’ll go to negotiations.” Afghan government officials have said that such an exchange would only occur during inter-Afghan talks or after they are complete.
On the other hand, the controversial results of the Taliban have challenged the formation of an inclusive negotiating team to represent the Afghans.
US President Trump has also contributed his words to the deal, calling it “a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home.” He added Friday, “ultimately it will be up to the people of Afghanistan to work out their future. We, therefore, urge the Afghan people to seize this opportunity for peace and a new future for their country.”
It is noteworthy that the Afghan officials have constantly criticized being excluded from the talks with the Taliban, noting that thoughtless withdrawal of the US forces will only put extra pressure on Afghan forces jeopardizing years of effort.
US politicians have also expressed a lack of optimism in the deal as a group of Republican lawmakers released a letter Thursday warning that the Taliban has “a history of extracting concessions in exchange for false assurances.” The letter continued, “A full-scale US withdrawal” would “allow terrorist groups in Afghanistan to grow stronger and establish safe havens from which to plot attacks against us.”
A key question also is ‘whether the reduction in violence will hold in the coming weeks’ as Afghan government officials and the Taliban begin talks.
Source: The Washington Post
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Islamic Emirate’s army now self-sufficient, says chief of army staff
Mohammad Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, says that over the past four years, the army forces of the Islamic Emirate have shown no hesitation in defending and protecting Afghanistan, and that today the country’s army is standing on its own feet.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, Fitrat made these remarks at a meeting with media representatives, political analysts, and a number of government officials aimed at coordination and strengthening cooperation. He added: “Nations that cannot stand on their own feet and rely on others, even if they grow, will not be capable of achieving real progress.”
Fitrat also expressed appreciation for the role of the media in ensuring security and in supporting the country’s defense forces, stating: “We and you, as citizens of this land, must put our hands together and build the country together, take pride in our forces, and strive with all our strength for the country’s development. We have created an army that defends honor, territorial integrity, and the borders of the country, and serves as the guardian of our freedom.”
He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is working to establish an army equipped with modern weapons so that it can defend the country’s territory under all circumstances.
He stated that the country’s army has proven to the people that anyone who looks at this land with ill intent will face a firm and courageous response, and that it has also been made clear to neighboring countries that any aggression against Afghanistan will be met with a response several times stronger.
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Afghan health minister attends second WHO summit in India
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the second World Health Organization meeting on traditional medicine during his official visit to India.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health said that the meeting was held in India with the participation of representatives from around 100 countries, health ministers from 23 countries, professional experts from various nations, and officials from different departments of the World Health Organization.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the standardization of traditional medicine, training of individuals active in this field, recognition of traditional medicine as an established reality, and the sharing of countries’ experiences in this area.
The ministry stated that the purpose of participating in the conference was to standardize traditional medicine in Afghanistan, adding that for several decades this sector has been practiced in a non-standard manner and without a defined curriculum or clear principles.
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Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.
During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.
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