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Ghani meets with key Afghans to discuss Ankara summit
President Ashraf Ghani hosted a meeting Thursday of high-ranking Afghan officials and other influential individuals in order to formulate a comprehensive plan for the upcoming peace summit in Ankara, Turkey.
According to the Presidential Palace (ARG), Ghani hopes to secure national consensus to strengthen government’s position in the talks.
ARG said that the meeting was attended by Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation; former Mujahideen leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf; former vice president Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum; Sayed Mansur Naderi, head of the National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan and leader of Ismailis in the country; Mohammad Mohaqiq, the president’s senior adviser; former Balkh governor Atta Mohammad Noor; former vice president Mohammad Younus Qanooni former governor Juma Khan Hamdard; Zabiullah Mujadadi, a jihadist; some members of parliament; the Supreme Court chief justice, and the president’s two deputies.
“The meeting focused on the general security situation, strengthening the national consensus, and the continuation of consultative meetings,” said Dawa Khan Menapal, the deputy presidential spokesman.
However a number of political figures who attended the meeting said it was more focused on creating a single plan for the Ankara summit which is expected to be held on March 27.
“The atmosphere at the meeting was such that all political leaders and even government leaders called for peace, called for an immediate end to the war, and decided to work on a peace plan to reach a conclusion at the Ankara summit soon,” said Satar Murad, a close ally of Atta Noor.
Following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s letter to Ghani and other key roleplayers along with the plan to establish a transitional government, Ghani appears to be working to bring together political figures in order to establish a unified plan for peace talks.
“In general the meeting was a consultative meeting as a whole, all important Afghan political issues were included; this was not a specific decision-making meeting; and it was just a consultation to build national consensus,” said Faizullah Safi, a close ally of Juma Khan Hamdard.
ARG meanwhile said consultative meetings on peace in Afghanistan will continue. However there were some notable individuals not present at Thursday’s meeting, including former president Hamid Karzai.
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Islamic Emirate releases American prisoner Dennis Coyle
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
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UK announces additional £3 million in aid for vulnerable people in Afghanistan
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, announced on Tuesday that over Eid al-Fitr holidays approximately 2.3 million domestic and foreign tourists visited the country’s recreational areas and natural attractions.
Ghufran said this level of tourist presence shows a significant increase compared to previous years and indicates growth and strengthening of the tourism sector.
Meanwhile, officials from the ministry’s departments, while emphasizing public cooperation in preserving the environment, maintaining cleanliness in public places, and protecting tourist attractions, stated that through extensive cooperation and efforts by security institutions, tourists were able to travel to different parts of the country with full confidence during the Eid holidays.
According to Ghufran, the Ministry of Information and Culture is working to develop and strengthen the tourism sector across the country and to provide more facilities and conveniences for tourists.
However, some tourists who traveled to various provinces praised the order, security, and hospitality of the people. They said that all provinces of Afghanistan have always been beautiful, but this year, with the current level of security and tourism facilities, their trips have become even more memorable.
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