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Last week deadliest in 19 years for Afghan forces: ONSC
The National Security Council said Monday that last week was the deadliest of the past 19 years for the Afghan Security and Defence Forces.
Javid Faisal, a spokesman for the Office of the National Security Council (ONSC) tweeted that the Taliban militants have carried 422 attacks in 32 provinces, killing at least 291 Afghan forces.
“Taliban carried out 422 attacks in 32 provinces, martyring 291 ANDSF members and wounding 550 others,” said Javid.
The past week was the deadliest of the past 19 years. Taliban carried out 422 attacks in 32 provinces, martyring 291 ANDSF members and wounding 550 others. Taliban’s commitment to reduce violence is meaningless, and their actions inconsistent with their rhetoric on peace.
— Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) June 22, 2020
The official noted that the Taliban failed to fulfill its commitment in terms of reduction in violence.
“Taliban’s commitment to reduce violence is meaningless, and their actions inconsistent with their rhetoric on peace,” Faisal tweeted.
Faisal also noted in a separate tweet that at least 42 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 105 others were wounded in the violence Taliban committed across 18 provinces in the past one week.
In a bid to highlight the issue, the ONSC in a statement said that despite all Taliban’s commitments, and the Afghan government’s “goodwill and activities” the group has still “shed the blood of Muslim Afghans, failed in its commitments, and has shown no goodwill for peace.”
Meanwhile, the Security Council calls on the Taliban to stop the violence as soon as possible, saying that without a reduction in violence “reaching peace could be impossible.”
The Taliban militant group yet to comment on the matter.
It comes as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons met with Taliban deputy leader Mullah Baradar in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
.@DeborahLyonsUN had a cordial initial meeting in Doha with Mullah Baradar, Taliban deputy leader. The UN envoy for #Afghanistan highlighted the need for a just peace that was inclusive of all Afghans, including women, youth and minorities. pic.twitter.com/brIOE2aadS
— UNAMA News (@UNAMAnews) June 21, 2020
“The UN envoy for Afghanistan highlighted the need for a just peace that was inclusive of all Afghans, including women, youth, and minorities,” the UNAMA tweeted.
“Both sides talked about the release of the remaining prisoners and commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations…Also, avoidance of civilian casualties came under discussion,” Taliban’s political spokesman Sauhail Shaheen said.
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Afghanistan says Pakistani military post destroyed near Spin Boldak
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense says a Pakistani military post near Spin Boldak was targeted and destroyed after Pakistani forces opened fire toward Afghanistan.
Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi said in a post on X that Afghan forces suffered no casualties or damage in the clash.
Khwarazmi also rejected claims made by the Pakistani side about the incident, describing them as “propaganda.”
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Mujahid: Pakistan attacking Afghanistan to evade Mecca Pact responsibilities
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks on Afghanistan to divert attention from its domestic problems and to evade responsibilities under the “Mecca Pact.”
Speaking at a religious seminary in Kandahar, Mujahid said Pakistan was facing political and economic challenges at home and was using attacks on Afghanistan to shift public attention away from protests and its internal problems.
“Pakistan, by violating the territory of its neighboring Islamic country, wants to divert attention from its failures,” he said.
Mujahid also criticized Pakistan’s political situation, claiming that political space had been restricted and that freedoms guaranteed under the country’s laws were not being allowed.
He said Pakistan’s economic problems had also increased significantly and accused the country of seeking to distract the public from those problems by engaging in conflict with Afghanistan.
Mujahid further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of putting the Pakistani people at risk through what he described as its “false position.”
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
His remarks followed Pakistani airstrikes on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Thursday, which Afghan authorities said killed four civilians.
The strikes came three days after attacks on Kunar and Paktika provinces, in which Afghan authorities said three civilians were killed.
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Kabul rejects U.S. claim that meth seized in Pakistan was of Afghan origin
Balkhi said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi has rejected a U.S. claim that 463 kilograms of synthetic drugs seized in Pakistan were of Afghan origin, calling the attribution “unfounded and politically motivated.”
Balkhi said the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad should investigate the origin of the seized drugs in Pakistan rather than attributing them to Afghanistan.
“The attribution by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad of the synthetic drugs bound for Sri Lanka and intercepted in Pakistan through joint U.S.-Pakistani efforts as ‘Afghan-origin’ is an unfounded and politically motivated allegation,” Balkhi said.
He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Balkhi also claimed that following the ban in Afghanistan, the cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotics have increased “on the other side of the Durand Line.”
He further argued that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to produce synthetic drugs and said crossing points along the Durand Line have been completely closed to all movement for nearly a year.
His remarks came after the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said U.S. and Pakistani anti-narcotics authorities had seized 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million and bound for Sri Lanka.
The embassy said the operation led to multiple arrests and highlighted ongoing U.S. cooperation and training with Pakistani authorities to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks.
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