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Ghani: another 500 Taliban prisoners will be released soon
The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, on Friday after the Eid al-Adha prayers at Arg said that the Afghan government will soon release another 500 Taliban prisoners, stressing that these prisoners are separate from the list provided by the Taliban.
In addition to the President, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High National Reconciliation Council, Amrullah Saleh, First Vice President, Sarwar Danesh, Second Vice President, former President Hamid Karzai, and other officials were present at the Eid prayer ceremony held at Arg.
محمد اشرف غنی رئیس جمهوری اسلامی افغانستان صبح امروز پس از معاینه قطعه تشریفات، نماز عید سعید اضحی را در ارگ ادا کرد. pic.twitter.com/DNb18Z9s18
— ارگ (@ARG_AFG) July 31, 2020
Referring to the restrictions on this year’s Hajj, President Ghani lamented the non-participation of Afghans in this year’s Hajj due to the outbreak of Coronavirus, saying that the risk of the pandemic spreading has not yet been eliminated. He called on Afghans to take the Ministry of Health’s health advice seriously during Eid.
President Ghani also said that despite the fact that the Afghan government had no commitment in the US peace agreement with the Taliban, it had released 4,600 prisoners so far, according to the Taliban’s requested list, so that negotiations begin soon.
President Ghani said: “In response to the Taliban’s ceasefire, as a symbol of goodwill, and in order to speed up the peace process, I will release another 500 Taliban prisoners by the fourth day of Eid in addition to the list provided by the Taliban.”
Regarding the 400 detainees listed by the Taliban, Ghani said that he is not entitled to their release under the constitution and the penal code.
He added that for the release of these prisoners, the people of Afghanistan should be consulted and called for a consultative jirga.
It comes as Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Doha, said on Thursday the group has released 82 prisoners of the Afghan government from its captivity.
Shaheen noted that it has completed the process of releasing Afghan government prisoners, reaching a total released of 1000 inmates.
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IEA ambassador meets UNHCR head in Pakistan to address Afghan refugee issues
Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Islamabad, met with Oscar Manuel Sanchez, the head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan, to discuss the problems faced by Afghan refugees at registration and check-in centers.
According to a statement from the Afghan Embassy in Pakistan, Shakeeb proposed during the meeting that the registration process—carried out by UNHCR in cooperation with Pakistan’s NADRA authority—should be strengthened by increasing the number of mobile units. These units would be deployed to all districts and zones so that refugees can avoid long queues and have their other issues addressed more efficiently.
He also pointed to the problems faced by Afghan students, stating that they encounter serious challenges in the verification of their academic documents. He emphasized that this issue should be treated as a humanitarian matter and receive attention from all relevant parties.
During the meeting, the UNHCR head assured that necessary measures would be taken to improve facilities at the VRC (Voluntary Repatriation Centers). He added that the issue of Afghan students’ documents had previously been raised with the relevant Pakistani authorities and would continue to be followed up.
Sanchez further announced that the organization would establish a special center for handling complaints and scheduling appointments, enabling Afghan refugees to directly raise their concerns through designated phone numbers.
He also requested Ahmad Shakib to grant permission for a number of United Nations vehicles carrying humanitarian aid, currently held up in Pakistan, to enter Afghanistan.
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Albanian PM criticizes NATO’s Afghanistan withdrawal
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has criticized NATO over its handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, describing the exit as “shameful.”
Speaking at the Delphi Economic Forum, Rama said that while Albania is a NATO member, it has limited influence over the alliance’s decisions. He noted that member states tend to share credit when NATO actions are seen as successful, such as its role in Kosovo, but shift blame when outcomes are negative.
Referring to the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, Rama said NATO’s exit reflected poorly on the alliance and its member states.
He added that Albania accepted thousands of Afghan evacuees following the fall of Kabul, describing the situation as difficult and noting that many European countries were reluctant to host them.
Rama’s remarks highlight ongoing debate in Europe over responsibility for the Afghanistan withdrawal and the treatment of Afghan refugees in its aftermath.
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Poland deports three Afghan asylum seekers despite European court order
Poland has deported three Afghan asylum seekers to Kabul despite an interim ruling by the European Court of Human Rights ordering a halt to their removal, according to Polish media reports.
The case was reported by OKO.press, which said the deportations took place earlier this month as part of a planned operation involving a group of Afghan nationals.
According to the report, Polish authorities had scheduled the deportation of nine Afghan migrants on April 10. However, the European Court issued urgent interim measures instructing Poland to suspend the deportations, citing concerns over the safety of the individuals if returned to Afghanistan.
Despite being informed of the court’s decision prior to the flight, Polish authorities proceeded with the deportation of three individuals to Kabul, while the remaining cases were halted.
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