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Pakistan remains safe harbor for “terrorist groups”: US

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(Last Updated On: June 25, 2020)

Pakistan is a safe harbor for “regionally focused terrorist groups”, allowing the groups to target Afghanistan, the US State Department said in a report.

In its annual terror assessment, released Wednesday, the Department said that Pakistan remained a safe harbor for other regionally focused terrorist groups.

“It allowed groups targeting Afghanistan, including the Afghan Taliban and affiliated Haqqani Network, as well as groups targeting India, including Lashkar e-Tayyiba and its affiliated front organizations, and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), to operate from its territory,” the report said.

Although Pakistan’s National Action Plan calls to “ensure that no armed militias are allowed to function in the country,” several terrorist groups that focus on attacks outside the country continued to operate from Pakistani soil in 2019, including the Haqqani Network – a group by the Afghan government for the deadliest attacks inside Afghanistan – Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed.  

According to the report the Haqqani Network has planned and carried out numerous significant kidnappings and attacks against US and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan, the Afghan government, and civilian targets. 

The government and military of Pakistan have acted inconsistently concerning terrorist safe havens throughout the country, the report said.

“Authorities did not take sufficient action to stop certain terrorist groups and individuals from openly operating in the country,” the report added.

Meanwhile, the US said that Pakistan did make some positive contributions to the Afghanistan peace process, such as encouraging Taliban reductions in violence.

The report noted that Afghanistan continued to face significant challenges in protecting its borders, particularly those with Pakistan and Iran. 

“Under the bilateral Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), which met for the first time in July 2018, Afghan and Pakistani officials agreed in principle to create a mechanism for communication between security forces on each side of the border,” the report said.

Despite this review and discussions between the two governments to utilize APAPPS, progress through this forum remains slow, read the report.

Throughout 2019, the United States sought to negotiate an agreement with the Taliban that would commit the Taliban to take action against international terrorist groups, including not allowing those groups to recruit, train, or raise funds on Afghan territory, and to not host those groups.  

In return for these commitments and for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations that would include the Afghan government, other Afghan leaders, and the Taliban, the United States would agree to a timeline for the conditions-based withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan.  

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US partners in Afghanistan mobilizing emergency aid for flood victims: Thomas West

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(Last Updated On: May 13, 2024)

Thomas West, the US special representative for Afghanistan, said Monday the United States is deeply saddened by the devastating floods in different parts of the country and that its partners in the country are mobilizing emergency aid, including food and water.

Karen Decker, the US Embassy’s charge d’affaires for Afghanistan, also posted a message on X and said the US is heartbroken by loss of life in Baghlan and elsewhere in Afghanistan after heavy rains and flash floods.

“The United States joins others in mobilizing emergency relief, food, and medical supplies through partners to support recovery efforts,” Decker said.

The occurrence of devastating floods in several provinces of the country, especially in Baghlan, has caused casualties and huge financial losses to local residents.

Based on the latest statistics, more than 300 people have died in two districts of Baghlan.

A large number of aid organizations, including the European Union’s Office for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, OCHA, the International Organization for Migration and the World Health Organization, are providing assistance to the flood victims.

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Deputy PM Baradar visits flood-affected areas in Baghlan province

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(Last Updated On: May 13, 2024)

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Economic Deputy Prime Minister, visited flood-hit areas in Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan on Monday to assess the devastation inflicted on the area.

After visiting the affected areas, Baradar met with local officials and gave instructions to them and representatives of working committees to provide the necessary assistance to the flood victims.

Baradar meanwhile pointed out that extreme damage had been caused in the flood-hit districts.

“It is necessary that the [disaster management] organization accelerates its efforts to provide food, medicine and shelter for the displaced citizens and aid to the flood affected areas,” said Baradar.

Baghlan and other northern provinces were hit by heavy rains and flash floods on Friday, which left more than 300 dead and over 1,600 injured.

Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed and livestock wiped out.

Officials said huge financial losses have been incurred.

Appeals have been made by numerous organizations to aid agencies to step in to help the victims.

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Minister of Hajj meets with Turkish President Erdoğan

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(Last Updated On: May 13, 2024)

The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate says that the acting minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs met with the President of Turkey at a consultative meeting of scholars from the Islamic world.

Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X that Noor Mohammad Saqib, Acting Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, met and talked separately with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, at the meeting.

Mujahid added that during the meeting, Erdoğan expressed his satisfaction over the security and the current situation in Afghanistan.

Mujahid quoted Saqib as having thanked Erdoğan for hosting the meeting and said: “Afghanistan wants good and advanced relations with the brother country of Turkey.”

According to Mujahid, Saqib added that the Islamic world, especially Afghanistan, expects the Erdoğan to play an important role in solving the problems of the Islamic Ummah.

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