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IEA to include Istishhad battalion in new army
Officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said that they will create a special battalion of Istishhad (martyrdom soldiers) to be part of their future army.
During an interview with Radio RFE/RL the deputy minister of information and culture and spokesperson of the IEA Zabiullah Mujahid said that the battalion will be part of their special forces and will fall under the defense ministry.
“Our Mujahideen, who are in the martyrdom battalions, are also in the army; but they will include Special Forces; all of them will fall under the ministry of defense; these forces will be created in special numbers and will be used for special operations,” Mujahid told RFE/RL.
But Mujahid did not elaborate on the specific operations these soldiers will carry out.
On the subject of women and former officers in the IEA’s army, Mujahid acknowledged that women will be recruited based on need, and troops with expert skills who were in the former army will also be recruited.
Earlier, the defense ministry of the IEA said that they are working on building a 100,000-member army that will be fully equipped.
Meanwhile, Qari Fasihuddin, chief of staff of the IEA recently told Al Jazeera that they planned to build a 150,000-strong army.
According to the latest reports from the ministry of defense and the National Security Council of Afghanistan, Afghanistan had 350,000 troops under the previous government.
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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