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Atmar says gov’t will release remaining ‘hard-core’ Taliban prisoners by the end of next week
The Afghan government says that it would release the remaining “hard-core” Taliban prisoners by the end of next week, aimed to kick start the long-waited intra-Afghan negotiations.
In an online discussion hosted by Washington D.C.-based United States Institute of Peace, Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar said, “we will have released by the end of next week over 5 600 of Taliban’s prisoners.”
It is extremely important for us to work closely with Central Asia and assure them that peace in Afghanistan is going to serve their security needs as well, says Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar. #AfghanPeace https://t.co/uG5iZnCdY1
— U.S. Institute of Peace (@USIP) August 27, 2020
Atmar urged the freed prisoners not to return to the battlefields.
“The Taliban will have to honor their promise that these people will not go back to the battlefield,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, said Thursday that Intra-Afghan negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban would start next week.
The first round of talks is expected to take place in Doha, Qatar, and will likely focus on a ceasefire.
Talks were due to start early this month but stalled after President Ashraf Ghani failed to release the remaining 320 Taliban prisoners as per a decree he signed to this effect.
Already about 5,000 Taliban prisoners have been freed but the last batch is deemed hardcore and is guilty of having masterminded some of the more serious attacks in the country while others are drug kingpins.
Atmar, however, said that most of this issue has been resolved.
“It seems that most of the hurdles have been either removed or we are in the process of building consensus on a solution. I am cautiously optimistic that this will not be a further hurdle on the way,” Atmar said.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is gravely deteriorating, and a new approach is urgently needed, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Friday.
In a statement, IFRC said that without a radical rethink of approaches to humanitarian aid, the root causes of the crisis cannot be tackled sustainably, as time and funding are running out.
“We have been responding with emergency aid in Afghanistan for years now, and it is time for a rethink,” said Alexander Matheou, IFRC Regional Director for Asia Pacific. “We need to focus on Afghan institutions like the Afghan Red Crescent, which have a permanent role in the country. Their capacity is durable and will serve people before and after aid operations. We need to adapt our programming to focus on resilience and economic independence while still showing solidarity and providing assistance after sudden shocks like the Herat earthquake and the current floods.”
He went on to reiterate the IFRC’s call for investment in people.
“With limited access to education and jobs, we need a focus on youth, on professional and vocational training, and other learning opportunities—interventions designed to boost confidence and give hope. Otherwise, the future really does look grim.”
This call comes ahead of a partnership meeting hosted in Doha by the Afghan Red Crescent Society in cooperation with the Qatar Red Crescent Society and attended by participating national societies from Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, and Türkiye, as well as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
“Communities are lurching from crisis to crisis at a time when their resilience is sub-zero and their coping mechanisms are exhausted. We ask our valued partners to take a long-term view and commit to tackling the root causes of the humanitarian crisis sustainably by investing in Afghan capacity, people, and systems,” said Mutiul Haq Khales, the Acting President of the Afghan Red Crescent Society.
“The needs of over 24 million people are vast and interconnected. Many have been caused by a combination of lingering impacts from decades-long conflict, climate shocks, and a deep economic crisis. The country’s resources are stretched, but capacities exist, and it is important that solutions are implemented to address the root causes of all these overlapping needs,” he added.
Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has rolled out its telecommunication services in Noor Gul district of Kunar province, becoming first company to launch telecom services in the district.
Noor Gul had been deprived telecommunication services in addition to other basic life facilities.
“Telecommunication services have been launched here for the first time. The population here is very large. Many people will benefit from the services. We are trying to connect this site, which is currently connected to satellite, to Microlink in the near future,” said Attaullah Sahil, head of AWCC in the eastern zone.
The officials of Kunar Directorate of Communications welcomed the AWCC’s move.
“Around 500 families live here. Its population is about 10,000 people. Telecommunication services and facilities are provided for them. We appreciate these AWCC services,” said Abdul Wali Marshall, Kunar’s director of communications.
Jalal al-Din Shams, the spokesperson of Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA), stated: “Unfortunately, since the day that telecommunication services have started in Afghanistan, there has not been enough attention to quality. The previous governments did not pay attention to it. Fortunately, a process has started now with which ATRA and the Ministry of Communications can bring about many changes in quality.”
Residents of Noor Gul district, who previously faced many problems due to lack of access to telecommunication services, expressed their satisfaction with the latest move by AWCC.
“There was no telecommunication service here,” said Rozi Khan, a resident of Noor Gul district. “This is the first time that AWCC services have been launched here and we are very happy. We also want 3G and 4G services for more convenience. During 20 years, the government paid no attention to this valley.”
Security officials assure of providing full security.
“There were many problems here due to the lack of telecommunication services. For an ordinary call, people used to pay 300 or 400 afghanis. We assure all telecommunication companies that there is no problem in the area of security,” said Fazlur Rahman Zarqawi, the police commander of Noor Gul district.
With the improvement of security situation in the country after the Islamic Emirate’s takeover, AWCC has launched telecom and internet services in many remote areas.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Friday in a statement marking World Press Freedom Day that Afghan journalists “must be celebrated, supported and protected.”
“As we mark World Press Freedom Day, we pay tribute to journalists across Afghanistan who are doing their best to keep the nation informed, often at great risk. Their work is essential for an informed and prosperous nation and for action on education, the environment, health, the economy, and good governance for all Afghans. They must be celebrated supported, and protected,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Qatar, which operates in Qatar, also said that Afghan journalists are facing many problems in carrying out their media activities, and the activities of female journalists are still limited in this country.
Some journalists also ask the government to support the media and journalists.
“We ask the Islamic Emirate officials to approve the law on mass media and the law of access to information as soon as possible so that journalists can carry out their work following these laws,” said Haidar Nazari, a journalist.
Reporters Without Borders in its latest ranking of media freedom, recognized Afghanistan as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists and added that the country has fallen from 152nd to 178th place.
“The state of the Afghan media in the economic sector and the country’s journalists are in a bad economic situation, this matter should be taken seriously. Otherwise, publishing statements and declaring support for the media community will not be effective,” said Hojatullah Mujadadi, the head of Afghanistan Free Journalists’ Association (AFJU).
The IEA officials have repeatedly emphasized that they are committed to supporting freedom of speech and media activity in the country in accordance with Islamic values and national interests, and they are trying to provide reliable and timely information to journalists.
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