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UAE rescue team deployed to aid Afghanistan earthquake survivors
President of the United Arab Emirates directed teams from Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, the National Guard and the Joint Operations Command to assist the response to the earthquake.
A team has left the UAE to help with rescue operations in Afghanistan after the earthquake that has killed more than 1,400 people.
The team will conduct field assessments in co-ordination with local authorities in the east of the country to enhance the effectiveness of search and rescue operations, state news agency Wam reported.
It comes after President of the United Arab Emirates directed teams from Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, the National Guard and the Joint Operations Command to assist the response to the earthquake.
“[They will help] broaden the scope of response, provide logistical and relief support to affected areas, and work to save as many lives as possible by rescuing survivors from under the rubble,” Wam said.
The presence of the search and rescue team will coincide with efforts by Emirates Red Crescent to provide medical aid, supplies and shelter to those affected.
The 6.0-magnitude earthquake, followed by at least five aftershocks, hit remote areas in mountainous provinces near the border with Pakistan on Sunday night.
The earthquake’s epicentre was about 27km north-east of the city of Jalalabad, according to the US Geological Survey, which said it struck 8km below the Earth’s surface. Shallow quakes can inflict greater damage.
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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