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Russia in contact with Taliban, Haqqani network: US
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper confirms that Russia is in contact with the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and other groups in Afghanistan, saying that it is taking advantage of this connection.
Responding to the US Congressional hearings on reports that Russia offers bounties to the Taliban militants to kill US troops in Afghanistan, Esper said that he still has no confirmed information on the matter.
“I didn’t see the first reports until February. I think Gen. McKenzie and Gen. Miller get some initial reporting on the ground that they began pursuing. Neither thought the reports were credible, as they dug into them,” US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says Russia and some other countries have provided financial and training support to the Taliban, the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan for years.
“We are not done looking. We are going to dig into this. I am an outrage general just like every one of us in uniform is. If in fact these bounties directed by the government of Russia or any of their institutions to kill American soldiers, that’s a big deal,” said Mark Milley Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Some former US troops on a mission in Afghanistan also speak of a deep relationship between the Taliban and Russia.
John Nicholson, a former commander of the Resolute Mission in Afghanistan believes that there is a bilateral deal between Russia and the Taliban calling it against the spirit of the peace agreement in Afghanistan.
This comes as Russia and the Taliban have called the report baseless, and Russia has accused US intelligence of smuggling drugs into Afghanistan.
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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