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Saleh says another key suspect in Kabul University attack arrested
Afghanistan’s First Vice President, Amrullah Saleh, said on Wednesday that they have arrested another suspect behind the deadly attack on Kabul University early this month.
According to Saleh the person, named Rahmatullah, has been taken into custody and is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the attack that killed at least 22 people, mostly students.
The university attack came just a week after a previous bombing outside another education facility in Kabul that killed 24 students.
In both instances ISIS (Daesh) claimed responsibility.
On Wednesday, Saleh said: “Kabul University and Kosar Danish cases are a crime against humanity and we bring together Afghans and the world against the crime. We hope that the human rights commission ignores criticisms and works practically.”
Saleh’s remarks came after the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) stated that “students and educators must be ensured safety and security while attending school, without any threat or fear for their lives and to be able to work, study, and learn in a protected and safe environment.”
Professors, lecturers and students from universities around the world also weighed in this week and signed and sent out a letter condemning attacks on educational facilities in Afghanistan and listed their demands.
Signatories were from academics at top universities, including Stanford and University of California.
They demanded that the Afghan government, the United States, the European Union, and other international stakeholders use their influence to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of these “calculated attacks on civilian populations and protected sites, such as universities and educational centres.”
They also called for the rights of students and educators to be safeguarded and hold all actors engaged in the war in Afghanistan accountable and pressure them to comply with the Geneva Convention and respect civilian lives during war.
Saleh’s announcement meanwhile came after his recent statements that in addition to this arrest, another two key planners of the attack are in custody while a third was killed in an operation by security forces.
On Saturday, Saleh said at a high-ranking security meeting that a member of the Taliban’s Haqqani Network was behind the attack.
He said the country’s intelligence agency NDS had taken the main perpetrator, identified as Aadil, into custody and that this suspect had once studied at Kabul University’s faculty of Sharia before joining the Taliban.
Saleh also said on Facebook the suspect told officials that the Taliban had aimed to defame the government and make it appear weak.
But the Taliban has rejected government accusations of involvement in the latest attack.
“Claim by #Kabul admin deputy [vice president] of detaining #Kabul Uni attackers & linking them to Haqqani Sahib’s personnel are fabrications. All these allegations are an attempt to divert attention away from joint #Kabul-#ISIS crime & deceive the public,” the group’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted.
The attack was widely condemned by the Afghan government and the international community.
Shahabuddin Delawar, Head of the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, says Afghanistan has achieved security, unified governance, brotherhood, and progress for the first time in 47 years under the administration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
Speaking at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday, Delawar said Afghanistan had lacked a unified system over the past four decades, but added that with the return of the Islamic Emirate, the issue has now been resolved.
Referring to Ashura commemorations held on Friday, he said the occasion was observed peacefully across the country under full security.
Delawar also urged exiled Afghan politicians to return, saying the commission was established to serve Afghans and address the concerns of returning figures. He added that any legal disputes involving returnees would be handled exclusively through the commission.
He further said the Islamic Emirate has expanded treatment centers and intensified anti-narcotics efforts since regaining power, claiming this has led to a significant decline in drug addiction.
Addressing the issue of international legitimacy, Delawar said he understood why the United States has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, arguing that Washington suffered a defeat in Afghanistan that it cannot easily overlook.
“They have suffered a major defeat that they cannot forget; if they recognize us, they will face questions from their own people,” Delawar said.
The European Union says it is implementing hundreds of millions of euros in projects to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Afghanistan and help expand economic opportunities across the country.
Speaking to Ariana News, EU Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul, Veronika Boskovic Pohar, said the programs are aimed at creating jobs for skilled workers, women, youth, and returnees, while also strengthening the private sector. She added that alongside international support, Afghan authorities also have a role in facilitating economic growth.
According to Pohar, the EU is currently implementing projects worth €156 million focused on livelihoods, durable solutions, job creation, and women’s economic empowerment. She said an additional €40 million program specifically designed to support returnees will be launched in the near future.
She noted that the EU is gradually shifting its focus from emergency humanitarian aid toward long-term sustainable solutions, particularly for internally displaced people and returnees in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, marking World Day of Small and Medium Enterprises, said SMEs account for more than 90 percent of businesses worldwide and play a critical role in employment and economic growth.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed that stronger investment, innovation, and sustainable industrial development are essential to help businesses withstand economic challenges and build resilient economies.
Afghan private sector representatives and economic analysts say greater support for SMEs could help the country address economic challenges faster, increase employment, and promote sustainable long-term development.
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Afghan women’s situation highlighted at SCO Forum amid ongoing global debate
She urged member states of the SCO to show solidarity with Afghan women and not remain indifferent to their situation.
Afghanistan was at the center of discussions at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Women’s Forum in Bishkek, where former head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Roza Otunbayeva, described the situation of women in the country as a serious human rights concern.
Speaking at the forum, Otunbayeva said restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan demonstrate how a return to conservative policies can rapidly affect women’s daily lives and opportunities.
Otunbayeva, who previously served as head of UNAMA in Afghanistan, stated: “Today in Afghanistan, girls cannot receive education beyond sixth grade. Women are prohibited from working, visiting parks and gyms, and traveling without a male companion.”
She urged member states of the SCO to show solidarity with Afghan women and not remain indifferent to their situation.
According to her, women in Afghanistan urgently need support in education, employment, and social participation, and these issues should be addressed at both regional and international levels.
Her remarks come at a time when the situation of women in Afghanistan remains a subject of ongoing international debate.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly stated that women’s rights in the country are ensured better than ever before.
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