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We need to stand up against terror in Afghanistan: NATO chief

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that while the alliance’s military presence in Afghanistan for 20 years had not been in vain, there are lessons they need to learn from this time.

He also said “wrongful conclusions” should not be drawn from their military presence in Afghanistan as experience garnered might come in useful in the future.

He said NATO is facing the threat of terrorist attacks and that the alliance needs to be at the forefront of this to combat any such incidents.

“Our presence in Afghanistan was not in vain; we defeated al-Qaeda; for 20 years we have prevented new terrorist attacks against our countries, organized from Afghanistan, but our presence in Afghanistan is also something that reminds us of what it means to go in with a military presence.

“We need to learn the lessons, but we should not draw wrongful conclusions from our military presence in Afghanistan. There may be future situations where we need to stand up against terror as we did among other things in Iraq and Syria when we defeated ISIS and liberated the areas under their control,” said Stoltenberg.

He went on to say that the alliance’s main goal in Afghanistan had been to defeat al-Qaeda and that over the past two decades, there have been no terrorist attacks against foreign countries that had been organized in Afghanistan.

“Now after having pulled out we must still try to safeguard that situation; that will not be easy; but it is not as if that means that it was wrong to prevent more terrorist attacks,” added Stoltenberg.

Afghans meanwhile voiced their concerns about Afghanistan’s future after the country’s largest military medical facility, in the center of Kabul, came under attack by Deash (ISIS-K) on Tuesday.

“The situation is not under our control completely, other countries interfere in our internal affairs, and they (other coutries) are responsible for all the explosions and suicide attacks,” said Mohammad Rahim, a Kabul resident.

“If Taliban (IEA) does not stop Daesh they will become stronger and will be a big threat to Afghanistan in the future,” said Shamsuddin, another Kabul resident.

This comes as India plans to meet with Afghan officials in the next week.

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Suhail Shaheen meets with Chinese ambassador to Qatar

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The head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) political office in Doha, Suhail Shaheen, met with China’s ambassador to Qatar late Monday for talks on bilateral relations, good neighborliness, and trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

“About the Wakhan road, the export of Afghanistan's fresh fruit to China, the reconstruction of cold stores, China's assistance in the field of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and good neighborliness between the two countries were discussed,” Shaheen said in a voice message.

China and the Islamic Emirate have been rapidly expanding relations in recent months.

Experts, meanwhile, have said that other countries need to engage with the IEA, as China is doing, in order for Afghanistan to come out of isolation.

Shaheen also met with Katharina Ritz, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Afghanistan.

He discussed numerous issues including humanitarian assistance, health sector challenges and climate change.

Both sides emphasized that ICRC activities need to be expanded, considering the needs of the people.

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IFRC reports over half of Afghanistan’s population needs urgent humanitarian aid

Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks

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The International Federation of Red Crescent (IFRC) has reported that Afghanistan continues to face prolonged and complex humanitarian crises.

IFRC said in a report published on Tuesday, that about 23.7 million people, more than half of Afghanistan’s population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

According to the IFRC, natural disasters, the growing impact of climate change, population displacement, economic challenges, and food insecurity are the main factors contributing to Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks. 

The country is also prone to earthquakes, with nearly 400 tremors recorded in the last three years, including significant quakes, such as the 6.3 magnitude in Herat Province in October last year.

The compounding effects of disasters in the country have exacerbated the already fragile situation in Afghanistan, the IFRC’s report read. 

These successive disasters have pushed more Afghans into poverty and heightened their vulnerability. 

In addition, Afghanistan’s economic crisis is widespread, with more than half of households experiencing an economic shock. 

The country’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign aid and remittances, which have declined significantly since the political change in 2021. 

This has resulted in high levels of unemployment, challenging people’s coping mechanisms and thwarting the already fragile economy’s ability to adapt to shocks, the report read.

The IFRC said more than 85 percent of the country’s population is now living below the poverty line.

 

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Maldives recalls envoy to Pakistan over meeting with Afghanistan envoy

The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting had not been sanctioned by the government

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The Maldives government has recalled its top diplomat in Pakistan after he had an unauthorized meeting with an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan envoy in Islamabad. 

The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting between the Maldives High Commissioner Mohamed Thoha and IEA envoy Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb on Friday had not been sanctioned by the government.

Maldives media reported that the foreign ministry stated: “Consequently, appropriate action has been taken by the government of Maldives.” 

Thoha’s name has also been removed from the website of the Maldives mission in Islamabad, and an official source told AFP that he had been recalled.

Since regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, no country has yet officially recognized the government.

However, the IEA has been making inroads into the diplomatic arena and has official missions now stationed in a number of regional countries. 

 

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