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US urges Afghan government, Taliban to begin prisoner releases
The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad said Wednesday that the United States would like to see prisoner releases begin as soon as possible in line with the U.S.-Taliban agreement.
Khalilzad said in a tweet that so far no prisoners have been released to date despite the commitment to do so expressed by both sides.
“Coronavirus makes prisoner releases urgent; time is of the essence. We are committed to do our part and after consultation with all relevant sides, the United States understands,” he noted.
Khalilzad said that the technical teams from both sides can work together and focus on technical steps to begin prisoner releases as soon as possible.
“I will participate in the initial meetings,” he added.
“While preferable to meet face-to-face, Coronavirus and the resulting travel restrictions likely requires virtual engagement for now,” said Khalilzad, calling on all sides to avoid provocative media statements.
The US official further said, “The time has come to move forward on prisoner releases.”
“The Taliban commit that released prisoners will abide by the commitments made in the peace agreement and not return to the battlefield. A violation will undermine the peace process,” Khalilzad tweeted.
The United States would like to see prisoner releases begin as soon as possible in line with the U.S.-Taliban agreement. No prisoners have been released to date despite the commitment to do so expressed by both sides.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) March 18, 2020
On February 29, the US and Taliban delegations signed a deal in Doha, the capital of Qatar in which the release of 5000 Taliban prisoners by 10th of March was highlighted. In exchange, the group would also release 1000 Afghan soldiers who are in the Taliban’s captivity.
President Ashraf Ghani signed a decree on March 11 to release 1500 Taliban prisoners, a move to pave the way for the start of the intr-Afghan dialogue, which was scheduled for March 10 that has not held so far.
According to the decree, the remaining 3500 prisoners would be released after a tangible reduction in
violence by the Taliban and all released prisoners will have to give “a written guarantee to not return to the battlefield.”
The Taliban reject Ghani’s release plan saying that the group had never agreed to the conditional release of the 5,000 prisoners from Afghan jails.
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Afghanistan lodges complaint with UN over Pakistani airstrikes
Afghanistan’s acting representative to the United Nations has formally raised concerns at the UN Security Council following overnight airstrikes this week it says were carried out by Pakistan inside Afghan territory.
Nasir Ahmad Faiq, acting chargé d’affaires of Afghanistan’s mission to the UN, announced on Monday that a formal complaint had been submitted regarding the strikes, which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties.
In a statement posted on X, Faiq called for “the immediate cessation of such actions, a thorough and impartial review, full respect for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, and strict adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and international law.”
According to Afghan officials, the strikes took place late Saturday night in eastern Nangarhar and south-eastern Paktika provinces.
Authorities say dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed or wounded when residential areas were hit.
Islamabad has previously maintained that it reserves the right to act against militant groups it says operate near or along the disputed Durand Line. Afghan officials, however, have consistently rejected allegations that Afghan territory is being used to launch attacks against Pakistan.
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions between Kabul and Islamabad over security concerns and cross-Durand Line militancy, further complicating already fragile bilateral relations.
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US companies are welcome to join TAPI project: Turkmenistan’s ex-president
In an interview with Al Arabiya, former Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said international companies, including United States firms, are welcome to join the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.
Berdymukhamedov noted that while the project enjoys U.S. support, it will need to navigate longstanding regional tensions, as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India have seen outbreaks of deadly fighting over the past year.
“This project, which enjoys international support, including from the United States, possesses immense potential in meeting the growing energy needs of South Asian nations. It also opens promising avenues for accessing the emerging markets of the Asia-Pacific region, the Near East, and the Middle East,” he said.
“The TAPI project is also of paramount importance for political stability and economic prosperity, maintaining high investment attractiveness,” Berdymukhamedov added.
Turkmenistan plans to complete the first section of the pipeline, reaching the Afghan city of Herat, by the end of 2026. No plans have yet been announced to extend the project further south.
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UK’s Reform party pledges visa ban affecting Afghanistan and five other states
The British political party Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is set to impose a blanket visa ban on Afghanistan and five other countries — including Pakistan — as part of its proposed crackdown on illegal migration and states refusing to accept deported nationals.
In a speech set for Monday, the party’s newly appointed “shadow” home secretary, Zia Yusuf, will outline plans to halt all visas for diplomats, students, workers, VIPs and tourists from Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan. Reform says these governments fail to cooperate in accepting back deported migrants and convicted criminals.
Pakistan received more than 160,000 UK visas last year, making it one of the biggest visa recipients. However, British officials say Islamabad accepts back only a small fraction of rejected asylum seekers and has resisted pressure to take back individuals convicted in high-profile criminal cases.
The move – which mirrors US President Donald Trump’s visa ban on 75 countries – would be a key element in Reform’s strategy to deport up to 288,000 illegal migrants from the UK on five charter flights a day.
On legal migration, Yusuf will say a Reform government would terminate all welfare payments to foreign nationals, including the 1.3 million currently receiving UC, up from around 900,000 in 2022.
Yusuf is expected to say that years of weak immigration enforcement have undermined public trust and that a Reform government would secure Britain’s borders and make people feel safe.
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