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Arg to Taliban: No peace without “reduction in violence”
The presidential palace has warned that peace would not be possible if the Taliban do not reduce violence.
Sediq Sediqqi, the presidential spokesman called on the Taliban to take the Coronavirus threat seriously by considering a ceasefire in the country so that the government focuses on fighting against the pandemic.
“If the violence does not end by the Taliban, unfortunately, we will not be able to achieve the ultimate goals of peace,” said presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
In the past 24 hours, at least 15 security personnel have been killed or wounded in a Taliban car bomb attack in southern Helmand province, and 20 civilians have been injured in Paktia province during prayers, showing a keen increase in the Taliban attacks.
It comes as the office of the National Security Council says that it has released nearly 200 Taliban prisoners from prisons in the past two days, bringing the total released of the Taliban inmates to 748.
Jawed Faisal, a spokesman for the National Security Council said, “The government has taken steps to reach peace, but the Taliban are not committed to peace and they have increased violence.”
So far, the Taliban have released 112 government-affiliated prisoners. The group said that if the release of 5,000 prisoners is accelerated, the Intra-Afghan talks will begin sooner.
Two people have been killed amid protests against a poppy eradication campaign in northeastern Badakhshan province, local officials said.
Authorities said counter-narcotics forces were deployed on Friday to Atan Jalo area of Argo district to destroy poppy fields. Clashes erupted after a number of farmers and residents reportedly attempted to block the operation.
Officials said a child was killed during Friday’s unrest, while another person died on Saturday as protests and tensions continued in the area.
According to local authorities, demonstrators also temporarily blocked the Kishm–Faizabad highway, disrupting traffic for several hours before it was reopened following coordinated efforts by security officials, religious scholars, and community elders.
Officials blamed “drug traffickers and criminal groups” for inciting the unrest and said security forces have since regained control of the area.
A high-ranking Uzbek delegation comprising government officials and private sector representatives from the Republic of Karakalpakstan arrived in Kabul on Saturday to discuss the expansion of trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
The delegation is headed by Amanbay Orinbayev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the delegation is expected to hold talks with Nooruddin Azizi, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.
The ministry said the visiting delegation will also participate in trade connectivity meetings and business-to-business sessions aimed at enhancing commercial cooperation between the two sides.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation is also scheduled to travel to Balkh province, where members will attend additional trade meetings and inaugurate an exhibition showcasing Uzbekistan’s domestic products.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over recent developments along the Durand Line, saying Pakistan has increased military and economic pressure on villages and residents living near the line.
In a statement, Karzai said the apparent purpose of these pressures is to push residents of Durand Line areas to seek help from Pakistani institutions for resolving security and other local issues.
He added that, amid this situation, some tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line recently signed documents described as “peace agreements,” which were later officially welcomed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Karzai, these developments amount to an effort by Pakistan to legitimize the Durand Line and represent an action against Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
The former Afghan president also urged the relevant Afghan authorities to provide the public with a clear explanation regarding the recent agreements and developments along the Durand Line.
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