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Civilians killed as Afghan forces launched counterattack in Helmand: AIHRC
The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) says dozens of civilians have been killed in the Helmand province in the Afghan forces counter-attack.
The commission said that the Taliban first attacked the army soldiers from a point close to the area – where later witnessed heavy shellings – at least 27 civilians were killed and 35 others wounded in the crossfire between the Taliban militants and the Afghan forces.
Naeem Nazari, deputy head of the Independent Human Rights Commission, said: “A few moments before the incident, the government’s armed opposition carried out attacks from near the site, prompting a backlash from Afghan forces. The Afghan government should seriously investigate the incident.”
The Afghan military, however, claimed that a car bomb explosion and missile attacks by the Taliban caused civilians’ casualties in the Sangin district.
Wali Ahmad Ahmadzai, commander of the 215 Maiwand Corps, said: “I am ready to clarify any organization that it was not done by government forces, but from explosives that they (Taliban) had planted in the market.”
The Taliban claimed that the Afghan soldiers have fired rockets at the Ganj, cattle market, which had been overcrowded, killing dozens of civilians.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Senate urged all laterals to conduct serious investigations into the incident.
Pakistan says communities living along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Durand Line want peace and stability, despite ongoing security concerns in the region.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said there are no major issues between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that residents on both sides of the Durand Line want peaceful relations and greater regional stability.
However, Andrabi claimed that terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to undermine peace efforts.
He said Islamabad believes militant activity crossing from Afghanistan remains a significant obstacle to improving regional security and bilateral ties.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, maintaining that no militant group is allowed to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
Andrabi also said Pakistan remains diplomatically engaged on regional matters involving Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Somalia, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain Islamabad’s preferred means of resolving disputes.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
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