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Wardak council accuses Alipour’s men of downing helicopter
Wahidullah Akbarzoy, Secretary of Maidan Wardak’s Provincial Council, said the Afghan military helicopter that crashed on Wednesday night was shot down by militia’s loyal to local strongman Abdul Ghani Alipour.
Nine people, including crew and security force members, were killed in the crash.
One of the crew killed was reportedly an experienced pilot who had flown countless missions and had bravely landed his helicopter on the roof of the 400-bed hospital in Kabul when it was under siege in 2018. He was able to rescue dozens of patients and staff during the insurgent attack.
The Ministry of Defense meanwhile confirmed Wednesday night’s crash and said it was investigating the incident.
Yasin Zia, Chief of Army Staff, said: “Those who martyred our comrades and genuine sons of Afghanistan in Behsud district of Maidan Wardak last night will be seriously investigated.”
“This heinous act will not go unanswered, and anyone who engages with our forces will be severely repressed as an enemy,” he added.
Alipour, the leader of a private militia in the central Afghanistan province, was arrested in 2018 on charges of illegal activities and disrupting security but was released after widespread demonstrations.
Since then, the Alipour’s militia has surfaced from time to time — most recently on 29 January when reports emerged of them having clashed with Afghan security forces in Wardak province after the Afghan forces allegedly killed some civilians during a protest on the same day.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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